Walk in the park
by spoodle monkey
Summary: DANNYDASH SLASH! Dash comes to Danny's rescue late at night, but are they ready for the events that they find themselves swept up in afterwards? RATING NOW M
1. Shining Knight

**Disclaimer: Nope, dont own**

**A/N- yahoo! i've had the begining of this story sitting around for quite some time, but i finally posted the first chapter! yay!

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He knew it had been a bad idea to cut through the park at night, and now he was paying for it. Danny backed up, back hitting a tree as the group of older teens advanced on hi,

"Uh guys, you really don't want to do this." What could only be their 'leader', grinned, barking out a harsh laugh.

"Right. Don't worry kid, we only want to have some _fun_." Danny shuddered, trying to keep some of the fear off his face. He couldn't go ghost in front of these thugs, not unless he wanted the whole town to know his secret. It didn't leave him with much hope.

"I'm serious! I'm-uh, friends with Danny Phantom!" He blurted out, cursing inwardly as their grins only seemed to grow.

"Good, we want to send that punk a message to stay off our turf." The leaders ugly pinched face was inches from his, foul breath making him gag. It was night, meaning there would be no one out, no one to help him. If he went ghost now, these guys would know who he was. That left him on his own. His fist connected with the sallow face, knocking the larger teen back, surprised.

"Why you-!" Arms grabbed him, pinning him to the tree. "You're gonna regret that." He already was.

"Hey! Let him go!" Danny froze at the voice travelling through the darkness. Relief and embarrassment washed over him, he knew that voice…

"What's it to you?" The leader, he'd decided to name Moe, snarled, turning on whoever would dare interrupt him.

Dash Baxter stepped towards them, gym bag in hand.

"That's none of your business. Let him go." Danny glanced from Dash to Moe and back again. Since when did Dash help him? The football player had given up on bullying him, but it was a far stretch to helping him. Not that he was complaining.

"You don't want to interfere, blondie." Dash stepped forwards, dropping his gym bag.

"I think I do." The thugs eyes narrowed, as two of them stepped forwards to attack Dash.

"Dash, run!" Danny shouted, before a hand clamped over his mouth.

The blond ducked, dodging the attack easily, before punching one of the guys in the jaw and elbowing the other in the stomach.

"Why you little-!" The gang's attention was diverted long enough for Danny to break free, backing away. No one came after him, instead focusing on the threat in front of them. Dash caught sight of him, knocking a guy down.

"Fenton, run!" Danny hesitated, he couldn't just leave Dash alone with these guys. "Danny! Go!" His legs kicked in, feet propelling him away from the scene. He couldn't help Dash like this. He had to go ghost. A fair distance away, he ducked behind a tree, making sure no one could see him, even if the park was deserted.

"I'm going ghost!" He felt the change take over, the energy flowing through him.

Taking off, the air whistled through his hair as he sped back to the fight. Dash still stood, surrounded by the remaining gang members, two lying on the ground, unconscious. Danny landed, anger flowing through him.

"Hey, Moe!" The leader turned, eyes widening fractionally, before narrowing again.

"Well if it isn't Phantom himself! And to what do we owe the honour?" Dash's eyes connected with his own, relief shining through.

"Let him go." He grit out. He was unable to see much of Dash in the dark, but from what he could see was that the remaining gang members looked slightly worse than the bruised quarterback.

"No can do, this punk wrecked our fun, but while you're here…" He mentally rolled his eyes as two of them ran at him. Danny knocked them out quickly, turning back to Moe.

Three of the gang remained, Moe included. The two unnamed rushed him, while the leader turned his attention back to Dash. Danny fazed, causing one of them to run into a tree. The other one he blasted lightly, only enough to knock him out.

Moe had Dash pinned to the ground, chubby fingers wrapped tightly around the struggling teenagers neck.

"Get off him!" He blasted the leader, harder than he had intended, knocking his off Dash and onto the ground, unconscious. "Dash!" Danny kneeled next to him, relieved to see blue eyes blinking up at him.

"Did you see a dark haired shrimp run by? He'd be your height." Danny sat back, startled as Dash pushed himself into a seated position.

"Uh, yeah. I saw him earlier, why?" He watched Dash climb unsteadily to his feet.

"Do me a favour? Make sure he makes it home." Danny's eyebrows reached his hairline, surprise written on his face.

"Since when do you care?" He asked before he could stop himself. Dash shot him a strange look. "I mean, I've just seen the two of you around and you seem more like enemies than anything else." He hastily added. Something akin to regret flashed through the blond's eyes, before quickly disappearing.

"Just make sure he gets home, alright." Danny nodded numbly, still confused, as Dash started to walk away.

"Dash wait!" The blond paused, glancing at him. "Are you okay?" He told himself firmly that he didn't care, that he wasn't worried about the person that had spent the last couple of years stuffing him into lockers.

The quarterback nodded, tugging his letterman jacket closer around him.

"Shouldn't you be catching up with Fenton? He's pretty quick, you know." Danny took off heading for home, resisting the urge to follow Dash home.

He didn't care, he couldn't.

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Dash was limping. Each step made Danny feel guiltier. As if the bruises colouring the other teens neck and face didn't already make him feel horrible. The quarterback was favouring his left leg; jacket zipped up to the collar to help hide the bruising. The rumour spreading around school was that Dash had gotten into a fight with a gang protecting some secret girlfriend. They were only half right.

Dash was avoiding him. He ducked out of class early, stayed late in gym with Kwan and some other jocks and ate his lunch with Lancer. Whenever he saw Danny coming one way, he'd go the other. It didn't help that the jocks ad created a tight circle around him. Protecting their wounded, Tucker had called it.

"Hey Sam, Tucker, I need you two to distract Kwan and the others so I can talk to Dash." The bell was going to ring any moment and then he'd lose his chance to talk to Dash for the day. The faster he got this over with, the happier he'd be.

"Fine, but you owe us." Sam agreed, gathering up her books. The bell rang with Danny leading the fray for the door. Ducking into a doorway, he waited for the mass of letterman jackets to pass, before pulling the blond into an empty classroom, just as Sam and Tucker walked up to Kwan.

"What? Fenton, what the hell are you doing?" Dash all but growled, shaking Danny's hand off his arm.

"We need to talk." He continued when all the blond did was glare at him. "I um, ijustwantedtosaythankyouforlastnight." He blurted out. Dash just stared at him, confused expression on his face, replacing the glare from earlier.

"What?"

"I just wanted to say thanks," He yelled, before lowering his voice. "for last night I mean. Because of me, you got hurt and you could have easily left me, but you didn't. So thanks." Dash for his part just blinked at him.

"You're welcome." He replied, slowly. They stood there awkwardly, neither sure what to say. Deciding to take a chance, he glanced at the quarterback nervously.

"So, uh, Danny Phantom showed up at my house, after the park." He started, pausing and waiting for a reaction. Dash looked slightly surprised, so he continued. "He told me that you asked him to make sure I got home alright." Dash's face turned an interesting shade of pink, before it was covered up by a smirk.

"Well, yeah- I mean I had to make sure a wimp like you didn't get lost or something." Danny's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not a wimp."

"Right…you're too much of a girl to be a wimp." Anger flushed through him.

"At least I have an IQ higher than a monkeys!" His back hit the chalkboard, Dash's face in his.

"You calling me stupid, Fenton?" His voice was dangerously low, breath coming out in angry puffs.

"If the shoe fits." He thought Dash was going to punch him, expected it too. What he didn't expect were Dash's lips on his, pressing them firmly together. Something in Danny snapped and before he knew it, his arms were wrapped around the taller teens neck, pulling him closer.

With a moan he opened his mouth, allowing Dash entrance, fighting for dominance. A heat ran through him as their bodies bumped and he decided he liked it, wrapping his legs around Dash's waist, held up by strong arms. It brought them closer, the quarterback grinding against him, Danny grinding back.

Dash moaned, the sound reverberating around Danny's mouth, as he ran his hands under Danny's shirt, along the smooth skin.

"No Kwan! He couldn't be in that classroom!" Sam's voice broke through the haze that surrounded them. They broke apart, Danny falling to the floor, matching shocked expressions on their faces.

"I-" Dash began, before turning and bolting out of the room, ignoring his injuries. Danny stood, breathing heavily, more turned on than he had ever been before.

"What the hell?" He asked the now empty room. The room didn't answer back.


	2. Distractions

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own

A/N- wow- I am sooo sorry it took me so long to update, but I got hit with major writers block for this story! It was meant to be a two shot- but it's turned itself into a longer story. I just wanna thank MorganEddasil for giving me the kick I needed and for everyone for reviewing! And without further ado, chapter two!

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The bigger body pinned him against the wall, same as before- blue eyes darkening with something indescribable. He couldn't tell if the other teenager wanted to hit him or…then firm lips were on his and he could feel something inside of him tighten and then shatter completely.

_His hands came up, clenching the letterman jacket, not pushing away, never pushing away- he wanted this. Hadn't known he had wanted it, but could no longer think of anything else. He needed this. Needed it more than oxygen. _

_A tongue swiped across his lips, parting instinctively and allowing the other entrance. A moan escaped from one of them- probably him, but he couldn't bring himself to be embarrassed by it. Heat ran through him, sparks up and down his spine. It was good- too good. It could never last; but for the moment, the other teenager pressed closer, slipping a thigh between his own and the kiss broke, both panting harshly. _

"_Danny." He opened his eyes, finally noticing that they had slipped closed. The blonde quarter back stared back down at him, a small smile curving his lips, hand resting on the nape of his neck and rubbing small circles with his thumb that had Danny leaning into the touch. "Danny," He repeated. "Did you get the answer to question five?"_

"Did you get the answer to question five?" A hard poke to the ribs accompanied the question, jolting Danny out of his day dream and dragging him back to reality.

"What?" He shifted in his seat, trying to be inconspicuous, but he could feel the heat staining his cheeks and knew he was probably bright red at the moment. Sam raised an eyebrow, sharing a knowing glance with Tucker.

"Are you alright?" She asked, leaning forwards at their table and closing her math text book in the process. "I mean- you've been distracted lately." Distracted lately? Yeah- that sounded about right. Of course, he had a good reason, he just wasn't about to tell Tucker and Sam; even if they were his friends. Some things were too embarrassing and confusing to share right away. Maybe in another week…or year, he'd tell them. Then they would laugh over it and forget all about it.

As it was, they'd only received a brief summary of what had happened in the park two weeks ago. There was no way he was telling them about his 'talk' with Dash. Sam would think he was crazy and Tucker would be liable to freak out.

Which also meant that he had to make up some new excuse about why every time the quarter back saw him in the hallway, he would all but run in the opposite direction or one of the many other ways Dash was avoiding him. And he had no one to talk to about any of it. Sam and Tucker while suspicious seemed rather pleased to not be the target of the bully's wrath, even though, as Danny had pointed out, Dash had been leaving them alone for quite some time before hand.

"I'm fine." Danny forced a fairly convincing smile and took a large bite of his burger for show. It settled uncomfortably in his stomach.

"Is this about Paulina again?" Tucker asked, this time receiving an elbow to the side and a disapproving look from their female friend.

Truthfully, he hadn't even thought of Paulina since before the night in the park, which was odd, considering how obsessed he used to be with her. She'd even spoken to him yesterday, and he'd barely noticed, too occupied with how Dash had darted around the corner like he was being chased by a pack of wild hyenas.

"No Tuck, I've just had a lot on my plate." His friends didn't look like they believed him, but what else could he say? Sorry I've been so distracted, but I can't stop thinking about the school quarter back that bullied me for most of my high school life pushing me up against the nearest wall and having his way with me? It sounded insane even to him and he fought ghosts on a regular basis.

"Cause you know there's a rumor going around that she's going to ask you to prom, right?" That caught his attention. It just didn't make him as happy as he suspected it should have. Prom with Paulina was like the Holy Grail for pretty much every guy at their school; it had been for him for the past three and a half years- so what was wrong with him?

"That's awesome." Sam shot him a look that clearly said she wasn't buying his enthusiasm, but Tucker seemed content to over look it for the moment to rattle on about how beautiful Paulina's hair was.

Danny lifted up his burger again to try and finish it with what little appetite he had at the moment, when he happened to glance in the direction of the door. Dash and Kwan chose the moment to stride through the door, laughing about something. Danny's stomach twisted, tying itself in knots as he watched the two, then the blonde's eyes landed on him and he promptly forgot the breathe.

Blue eyes widened across the room as the laughter slid off his face, replaced by something that Danny couldn't really identify. The moment seemed to go on forever, he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away, then Dash seemed to jerk and the look disappeared, seconds before Dash turned, grabbed Kwan and all but bolted out of the building. It took Danny a second to realize that he was still sitting there like an idiot, burger half way to his open mouth.

"Danny?" Sam waved a hand in front of his face, catching his attention. "You zoned again."

"I'm fine." Danny grinned, half heartedly, taking another large bite out of his burger, but his food had lost any flavor it had held. "Just…"

"Distracted, right." Tucker finished, doubt clear in his words. Sam watched him with worried eyes as he put the burger back down and pushed his food away.

"You know what? I'm not really hungry." He stood, offering what remained of his food to the others. "I guess I'm coming down with something. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow." He backed away from the table quickly to forestall any more questions and with a quick wave was out the door. Now all he had to do was figure out what was wrong with him.

* * *

The problem with school was that he had half his classes with Dash. And while he could avoid him in the halls (or be avoided); it was slightly harder to do so in class. Especially since he sat behind the quarter back in English; it was rather hard to force himself not to bore holes into the back of his blonde head when their teacher was droning on about Shakespeare. His mind tended to wander in the class and while normally it was full of thoughts about Paulina, or for that two month period the previous year- Sam, at the moment all he could think about was Dash.

And it was ridiculous because Dash was an arrogant, selfish, prick who picked on Danny constantly and enjoyed torturing people just for the sake of it.

Of course, that didn't exactly apply to recent events. Dash had changed. It was hard to believe, but it had happened, and he didn't see any pigs flying outside. It may have just been some elaborate prank on him, but somehow he didn't think Dash could come up with anything like this- or would want to. But still, it was weird.

"Mr. Fenton!" Of course, it should have helped that they were in science class and that Dash sat a few desks behind him, instead of directly in front of him, but apparently he was doomed. "Since you were paying such close attention, perhaps you could explain how we got this chemical reaction?" He loved science, he really did, but sometimes he hated his teacher. Tucker was convinced she had it out for him.

"Um…I don't know?" Danny offered weakly. Chuckles echoed through the class at his response, but tilting in his seat slightly to share an embarrassed grin with Tucker, he could see that Dash wasn't joining the others in laughing at him. He was watching him with something that may have been amusement? But the blonde quickly looked away when he noticed Danny watching.

Dash was certainly full of surprises recently.

"Since Mr. Fenton dazzled us with his answer," The science teacher, a tall, blonde woman, gestured to him. "I think its best that we move into our groups for your next big project." A collective groan went around the room and Danny could feel his spirits sinking. With all the work they were getting as graduation loomed closer, keeping an eye on the spirits in town and now with Dash distracting him, he was doomed. "It's worth forty percent of your next grade and you'll be working in groups of three." He felt his hopes rise with the announcement. If he could work with Tucker and Sam, then he'd be fine. Unfortunately Sam was away that day.

* * *

"Dash? We're stuck in a group with Dash Baxter?" Danny let his head fall on the table in front of him, enjoying the loud noise it caused. He was so screwed. Getting put in a group with Dash was possibly the worst thing that could have happened to him. He knew that science teacher had it out for him. Maybe Tucker could help him out, since they were in the same group- though that would involve telling his friend about the 'classroom incident' as he had titled it in his head.

"At least he's been nicer recently." Tucker reasoned, munching on his lunch, slight frown on his face. "And it's two against one so he'll have to do some of the work too!" It wasn't so much the work he was worried about, but the way they would react to one another. Dash was avoiding him, he was sort of avoiding Dash, and now they were forced together. He had an evil science teacher.

"Maybe we can ask her if we can trade Dash for Sam- even Kwan would be better." Danny muttered the last part, but couldn't put as much feeling behind it. He wasn't completely upset that Dash was in their group, he was kind of…giddy about it. Now that was embarrassing and completely unwarranted.

"I don't know if she would- hi Dash." Danny jerked his head up in surprise to find the blonde quarter back standing next to them, a pinched look on his face like he would rather be anywhere other than there. With a sickening feeling, Danny wondered just how much Dash had heard, but firmly told himself he didn't care and then reminded himself that he was staring. The blush was back.

"We'll need to meet to figure out what topic we're choosing." Dash carefully avoided eye contact with both of them, studying the wall behind instead.

"Yeah. I was thinking tomorrow after school." Tucker spoke up because apparently Danny's voice had taken a vacation and wouldn't be returning anytime soon.

"I have football practice, but I can probably get out of it early. Meet me at the bleachers at four." This time Dash's eyes flicked to Danny and held his gaze until Danny finally took in what he had said and nodded. "Okay." Dash nodded, then turned and left without a backwards glance.

"Well that was weird." Tucker muttered, digging back into his lunch.

"What?" Danny asked, and he was really beginning to wonder if perhaps he had lost too many brain cells in all of his fights because recently things weren't really making sense.

"Just, there's this weird tension between you and Dash." Tucker shrugged. "That's all. I probably just never noticed it before." Yeah, because he and Dash had been acting like mental patients for years. Maybe he really did need to talk to someone about this, but he wasn't about to tell Tucker or Sam. What was he supposed to say? I've been having dreams about the school quarter back in a completely un-platonic way? But who else was there to speak to about it, other than Dash himself, because there was no way he was bringing that up around the former school bully. He enjoyed _not_ being shoved in lockers. So that left…oh god, that pretty much left his sister. His life just kept getting better and better.


	3. Emotions, unbidden

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

a/n- wow, i promised i would try to update sooner and i actually did! this is amazing, but i was in the mood to write and the next thing i know i've written three stories and one new chapter! yay! reviews are love! poor danny- i think i've driven him to insanity...

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Okay. He could do this. It wasn't that hard. Just pick up the phone. Dial the number. Tell his sister he'd developed some sort of _feeling_ for the guy that bullied him for years. She was going to think he was insane. _He_ thought he was insane.

His mom glanced at him as she walked by the living room, clearly wondering what he was doing staring at the phone. She didn't ask though- part of her new 'do not interfere with the teenage life' kick.

Danny smiled at her, and then went back to boring holes into the electronic device. He wanted answers and if his only other choice was to go right to Dash, well, he would much rather try to talk to his sister first.

He wondered if it was possible to have a midlife crisis at seventeen. Probably not, but it was worth asking his sister. Once he got up the courage to phone. Any minute now.

Danny had a theory that the universe was actually out to get him. It was the only way to explain everything that happened to him, the Dash Baxter 'thing' on top of it all. It made him wonder if normal teenagers were this stressed out.

And the dreams- the dreams kept him from getting a full nights sleep, kept him wired. It was pure luck that there hadn't been any ghost attacks recently; it was the only way he was getting any sleep. Who could sleep when they were being molested by the school quarterback in their dreams?

Danny sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face and reached for the phone. Only to have it ring, the second he picked it up.

He jumped, dropping the phone on his foot in surprise. It continued to ring as he stared at it dumbly, wondering if Jazz had somehow read his thoughts and had phoned _him_ to save him the trouble.

"Danny! Will you get that please?"

"Yeah mom!" He called up the stairs, grabbing the phone off the floor, turning it on and holding it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Danny!" He grinned, leaning back on the couch as Sam's voice traveled through the phone. "I heard you got stuck in a group with Dash."

"Yeah." He pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering if it really was as bad as everyone seemed to think it was. Then he realized that he should have been thinking of it as a bad thing. He had definitely lost it.

"Sorry I wasn't there to save you guys. But maybe now you and Dash can kiss and make up."

"What?" He squeaked- panicked that Sam had somehow found out, but she just laughed and told him about how her mom had made her stay home with a head cold and how she was going to a wedding on the weekend for some relative she had never met before.

"Anyways, I'd better get going- my mom doesn't know I stole the phone. I'm not aloud any means of communication until I get better." Danny glanced at the clock and realized with a start that half an hour had passed.

"Okay." He agreed easily. "Hope you feel better." He hung up the phone a few minutes later feeling better than he had all week. Maybe he could tell Sam and Tucker about what was going on with Dash. But first, Jazz. He dialed in the memorized number, waiting with bated breath for his sister to answer.

_Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring._ _This is Jazz- sorry you missed me. Leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible- if this is mom, I already told you I would be back for Danny's birthday. *__**Beep**__* _

Danny hung up the phone, tossing it on the table and staring at it blankly. He hadn't counted on her not being there. This was so not good. He had to meet with Dash tomorrow after school and he had no idea what to do.

* * *

_A hard body pressed against his own- pinning him to the bed below. His hands twisted, gripping the sheets as they moved. Lips on his mouth, his jaw, neck, chest- lower and lower. They teased, nipped, bit, and soothed. _

_Danny ached for more, he needed more- it wasn't enough, never enough. Warm, wet heat on his body and he arched into the feeling, greedily taking more._

"_Argh!" He panted feeling tension coiling low in his belly. Smoldering blue eyes looked up at him, taking everything he could give._

_The mouth pulled back, quirking into a smirk. "Say it." A husky voice ordered._

"_Please." Danny whispered, mind in a feverish haze. The sheets scratched his sensitive skin; his lovers touch burned a path across his body._

"_Not that." The blue eyes bore into him, tearing him apart from the inside out. He couldn't, couldn't say it. "Say it."_

"_Please- Dash." Danny begged for more, for anything, for Dash to touch him. _

Danny awoke with a start, hands clenching his blankets tightly, heart beating wildly in his chest. Another dream, he realized with a groan.

Moonlight streamed through a crack in his blinds. It was still late. With a sigh he rolled out of bed, slipping out of the now damp boxers in disgust and pulling on a fresh pair.

He was awake now and still a few hours before he had to be awake. Maybe going out on patrol would help. He silently went ghost, gliding out of his window and out over the tops of the neighboring houses.

The cool air felt good, helped him relax and erase the phantom touches of his dream.

He found himself drifting over to a well lit part of town, with rows of neat, white houses and perfectly cut lawns. With a start Danny realized where he had ended up just before he landed outside of one of the windows.

"Great." Danny fought back a groan as he peered in through the window. Now his subconscious was tricking him into being a peeping tom. But something stopped him from leaving, so he settled in, gaze turned inward to the peaceful, sleeping figure of Dash Baxter, at least for the moment.

* * *

Tucker was stuck in detention until four. Danny's loathing for the teachers at their school was rising for each minute that he had to wait for Dash by himself. At least with Tucker around he could be distracted from the thoughts constantly plaguing him, but with no one but himself for company- it wasn't working very well.

He slung his bag over his shoulder, glanced at his watched and scowled when he realized that he was still ten minutes early.

Danny shrugged his bag higher and set off across the parking lot in the direction of the football field. Watching football wasn't very high on his list of things that he _actually_ wanted to do- but it was this or sit outside the detention room and look like an idiot to all the people leaving for the day.

Movement next to the gym caught his wandering attention as he turned to look without really seeing. Then he finally caught onto what he was looking at and promptly dived behind a car.

The gang from the park. There was no mistaking their ugly leader, Moe; they were lurking next to the gym, hidden mostly from sight, but they weren't exactly masters of stealth.

Danny turned himself invisible, floating over to where they were gathered. What were they doing there? He should call the police, or the principle, or someone.

"Over there." One of them grunted. Danny followed their gaze to the football field where they were watching the football players run drills.

"Do you know which one it is?" Moe asked; the lackey that had spoken shook his head no leaving Danny to wonder what they were talking about. "Alright, we'll come back later."

He continued to float there as they disappeared around the gym, off school property and out of sight. Why had they been there? He glanced over at the football players, a sinking feeling in his stomach. They couldn't be after Dash could they? No- he shook his head, landing on the ground and making himself visible again, it had to be something else.

Danny ran across the parking lot, still troubled by the gang's presence as he spotted Tucker, fresh out of detention leaning against the bleachers. He waved to Danny, grin disappearing at the look on his friends face.

"What is it? A ghost?" Tucker asked quickly, looking around for whatever had upset the half ghost.

"No." Danny shook his head, glancing back to the gym, but the gang hadn't suddenly reappeared. "The gang from the park was just here. Checking out the football team." Tucker raised an eyebrow, about to make some comment, but Dash chose that moment to come jogging up to them.

His hair was standing up at random angles, fresh from a shower, his letter man jacket undone and gym bag tossed over his shoulder. Danny felt his mouth go dry.

"What?" Dash asked irritably. "I'm on time." Danny snapped out of it, shrugging off Tuckers questioning glance.

"I know, it's a miracle." He couldn't help it, it slipped out. For a second Dash looked like he wanted to hit him, but the moment passed and the quarterback just scowled, pushing past them and leading the way to a red convertible parked next to the bleachers.

Danny and Tucker followed, glancing dubiously at the car as Dash threw his bag in the back and then climbed in the front. As a rule he didn't generally trust most of the people he knew to drive. He wasn't sure he trusted Dash at the wheel.

"Oh, just get in already." Dash snapped, fed up with them standing there awkwardly. Tucker slipped in the back seat, probably figuring it was the safest, which left Danny in the front next to Dash.

"Not worried that your football friends will see you with a couple of dweebs?" Danny pressed, doing up his seatbelt. Dash glanced over at the football players heading off the field, glancing over at them in confusion and annoyance.

"No." He replied shortly. Somehow Danny believed it was the truth.

* * *

He got the feeling that he had been reading the same sentence for the past half an hour and he still wasn't sure what it said. They'd chosen their topic- or rather, Tucker had chosen their topic and he'd been too tired to put up a fight. Dash hadn't said anything either though, which had been surprising.

Maybe he was just hoping that Tucker would do most of the work.

Danny scowled at the thought, but it didn't stick. He kept trying to bring up the worst parts of Dash, maybe get his head away from wherever it kept going whenever the quarterback was around- it wasn't working.

He'd even phoned home at one point, after sneaking away from Tucker and Dash to find out if his sister had phoned. No such luck.

"I'm going to get another book." Tucker announced cheerfully. At least one of them was enjoying the topic.

Dash grunted distractedly, not glancing up from his book. Danny had to wonder just how much of it the blonde understood. His lips moved with the words as he read, capturing Danny's attention.

He flushed as he realized that he was staring, tearing his gaze away and wondering just what was wrong with him.

His lower extremities were beginning to go numb in the position he was sitting in, so he shifted, trying to get comfortable. His foot hit something solid underneath the table. It took him a second to figure out what it was, and he was about to apologize for kicking Dash when something warm pressed up against his thigh and knee.

He held his breath, and then glanced up. Dash was still staring at the book in front of him, but his lips weren't moving with the words anymore. His heart pounding, he slowly returned the pressure, pushing so his and Dash's legs were connected, thigh to knee to shin to foot.

Dash paused, and then glanced up slowly, staring at him, almost daring him to back down. Well, he could be just as stubborn.

He slid his foot out of his shoe, losing the contact briefly, but Dash's smug look didn't remain as Danny's foot slid under the hem of the blonde's jeans, stroking against the skin he found there.

Dash swallowed, eyes glued to Danny's face. Danny could feel his face heating up with a blush but he kept moving his foot, refusing to be the one to back down. He nearly jumped as something brushed against his moving foot, before he realized that it was Dash's other foot. It pressed against his own, rubbing. Danny's stomach twisted pleasantly. Heat burned through him as Dash pushed harder, sliding further up his leg.

Neither one seemed to remember it was a contest.

Dash had turned a light pink; it made his eyes stand out, eyes darker than their normal blue. Danny could hear his breathing, loud and harsh in his eyes, he stroked with his foot, dragging it up Dash's shin, higher, to his knee, higher to his thigh, his leg was stretched out now; Dash had unconsciously slipped lower in his seat.

The library around them was silent, the pair hidden away in a back corner. Danny didn't have room for worries about whether they'd be caught, or what they were doing or who he was doing this with- only space for those quick little breaths that were escaping the quarterback.

His foot slid further up the blonde's thigh, rubbing into defined muscle as he went- he had no idea what he was doing. It felt like he was possessed.

Dash's eyes fluttered shut, hand disappearing under the table, brushing against Danny's foot and rubbing at the skin between sock and pant leg. It sent heat shooting through him. His mouth was dry, heart going a mile a minute and all he wanted to do was crawl over the table and onto Dash's lap and-

"So I couldn't find the book I was looking for, but I did find another really helpful one." Danny recoiled, dragging his foot back over to his side of the table without hitting the table. Dash jerked in his seat like he'd been burned; eyes wide for a moment before he regained his composure and buried his face back in his book.

Danny could feel his face heat up, he must have been beat red. Tucker thankfully didn't seem to notice, taking his seat between the pair as though nothing was different, nothing had changed.

Danny went along with it, acting like everything was alright, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing up every couple of minutes to look at the quarterback across from him. Dash kept his eyes trained firmly on the page in front of him.

* * *

The car ride was silent. Tucker had been dropped off, and even with Danny's protests, Dash had ended up driving him home. He could have flown home- Dash didn't know that though.

The silence was awkward between them. How could it not be though? A part of him questioned. Another part of him wanted to reach across and- well, that part of him was viciously silenced.

"We can meet on Thursday." Dash was the one who broke the silence. "I have football practice tomorrow." Danny nodded wordlessly.

The convertible rolled to a stop; it took him a moment but he finally caught on to the fact that they were outside his house.

"Dash…" He began, not sure how to continue. The blonde finally looked at him, and he could feel those emotions, the ones haunting him, swirling around inside of him, threatening to take over.

Dash looked…pained almost. Like he was thinking, feeling the same as Danny. But he wasn't and Danny wasn't even sure what was going on.

"Thanks for the ride." He muttered instead, grabbing his bag and sliding out of the car. He made it up the front steps, keys in hand before he looked back. Dash still sat there, staring at the wheel, unreadable expression on his face.

Danny sighed, turning back to the door, stuck the key in the lock, turned and opened the door, stepping inside.

"Goodnight." Was called out quietly, just as he was closing the door.

When he looked out the window, the red convertible was gone.

* * *

_This is Jazz- sorry you missed me. Leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible- if this is mom, I already told you I would be back for Danny's birthday. *__**Beep**__* _

_Hey Jazz- this is Danny…your brother. Which you already knew…um, right- so why did I call…I kind of need your help. I think I may be losing my mind. *pause* Well, not quite, but yeah. _

_It's just stupid teenage stuff and I need your advice- don't have a heart attack! I've asked you for advice before- anyways- __***Beep***_

_This is Jazz- sorry you missed me. Leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible- if this is mom, I already told you I would be back for Danny's birthday. *__**Beep**__* _

_Sorry, I got cut off…what was I saying? Oh yeah- so I need some sisterly advice or whatever…you think would help…therapy stuff or whatever…it's about this person I think I may like- it's not Sam! I got over that like, last year…early last year. So, just stop thinking that, alright?! _

_It's someone else- you know them, but I don't really want to tell you who it is right now cause I'm not really sure I like them- __***Beep***_

_This is Jazz- sorry you missed me. Leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible- if this is mom, I already told you I would be back for Danny's birthday. *__**Beep**__* _

_Okay, seriously? That's just annoying. The answering machine keeps cutting me off. Fine. Whatever. Just, phone me. Soon. Before I start pulling out my hair and mom and dad check me into a padded room or something…I think they've been thinking about it for years. So I'll talk to you later then…_

_Oooh! Wait! What are you getting me for my birthda- __***Beep***_


	4. The Prince, the Knight and the Princess

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own

A/N- so this is the longest chapter yet! wow. Danny's in denial, Sam's having way too much fun, Jazz is MIA and Tucker is completely oblivious. Oh and lockers are abused by all. It took me awhile to write this chapter- but here it is! I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed, reviews really do get me to write faster. It's like crack for writers! Anywho, chapter four of walk in the park; hope you like!

* * *

He hadn't meant to look. He's studiously been _not_ looking all day. For the past few days actually and things had gone off without a hitch. Unfortunately, he let his guard down and his eyes had drifted across the room before he'd realized what had happened. Now he was sucked into an abyss that threatened to swallow him whole and he had no way of getting free. Apparently being a teenager really did make you over dramatic.

It was just….those eyes. They were really blue. Like, really, _really_ blue and he wasn't sure how he hadn't noticed before. They had captured his attention and had held it and now he couldn't bring himself to look away.

Distantly he realized that Sam and Tucker were talking to him but he had stopped paying attention and they had probably labeled it one of his 'zone outs', specifically one in Paulina's direction. Which was fine, he was fairly certain that Paulina was over there talking to Dash and Kwan. If he shifted his attention slightly he could see that their mouths were moving, but somehow he got the feeling that Dash wasn't really paying attention to them.

The quarterback's eyes kept drifting over in his direction as well, but Dash seemed to be valiantly fighting against whatever kept drawing their eyes to one another. Every so often he seemed to realize what he was doing and then he would snap his gaze away and twist his head, pasting a contemplative look on his face as he assured Paulina that he was listening.

It should have been enough to snap Danny out of their odd _staring contest_, but it just seemed to suck him in further. Waiting to see if and when Dash looked and…oh god- he was losing his mind if this was what entertained him now.

Of course, there was some sense of amusement from the fact that it appeared to be making Dash rather flustered. Whatever _it_ was. Danny wasn't sure he could or would like to identify it.

He noticed just in time that Paulina was turning around to find out what Dash had been staring at. Danny fought the urge to turn invisible; realizing that turning invisible in a room full of people was not the smartest idea. He shifted his gaze to her quickly, a blush colouring his pale complexion. The lurch in his stomach that he had been so used to the previous year whenever he saw her had disappeared, he discovered with dismay.

Paulina smiled at him, something flirtatious and gorgeous and something he had wanted directed at him for ages. She waved, apparently not noticing his hesitation as he smiled back, waving, a awkward wave in return. Then, the most popular girl in the school, apparently satisfied, turned back to the popular kids. Maybe the rumors about Paulina liking him were true? He should have been more excited, but he wasn't.

"Now that's what I call entertainment." Danny jerked back to the present, eyes landing on the girl across the table from him. Sam had her head propped up on her hands, studying him with amusement, her lunch long since finished. Danny glanced around in confusion, noticing finally that Tucker had disappeared.

"What are you talking about? And where'd Tuck go?"

"He went to the library for a study date or something." Sam smirked at him, grabbing some of his untouched fries from his plate. "You on the other hand, had left us long before, something caught your eye and I bet I know what it is." Panic seized him as he involuntarily glanced back over to where the 'popular' people sat across the lunch room.

"Paulina looks great today." His mouth supplied before his mind could catch up with the rest of it. Well, at least it was believable. He could have said something ridiculous- if he was lucky then Sam would just drop the subject altogether.

"Right." He apparently wasn't very lucky.

"It's true. She looks really, uh, good today." Sam snorted in disbelief, leaning forwards and dropping her voice to a whisper.

"Tucker may not see it, but I'm not blind, Danny." He held his breath, panicking as he tried to figure out how Sam had figured it out. Belatedly he wondered if he could claim it was Valerie he liked…the thought was dismissed just as quickly.

"See what?" Danny tried, eyes darting to the exit, wondering how quickly he could escape.

"That you're head over heels for the school quarterback." He froze, wide eyes going to Sam, searching for some sign of revulsion or anger. Nothing. Sam stared calmly back at him, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I think it's about time. All that tension between the two of you couldn't have been healthy."

"I don't- it's not…" Sam eyed him skeptically across the table, the smile replaced with something more serious.

"You know I don't care who you date, right?" Danny shifted, nodding uneasily. "Even if it is the guy who spent years tormenting you." He glanced over at the table again, slightly surprised to see that Dash had slipped away while they had been talking. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed.

"I appreciate it Sam, but I'm not," He dropped his voice to a whisper so no one else would hear. Gossip spread like wildfire in a high school- it got annoying. "_Head over heels_ for Dash."

Sam just leaned back, smirking and taking his food with her back to her side of the table. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Danny grabbed his bag and all but bolted out of the detention room, managing to make it out of there before the few other people that had been stuck in detention could even get to their feet.

It had not been his day, he'd ended up with detention because he'd missed one class (to chase a ghost that he still hadn't caught), forgotten his homework (in the rush to _catch_ said ghost) and had fallen asleep in math (once again, a ghost was the cause). Sometimes he wondered what it was like to be a normal teenager. He certainly couldn't remember.

There was no point stopping by his locker, there wasn't anything he needed from it, so he headed for the doors that led out to the parking lot, choosing the fastest escape route possible.

The sun had set low on the horizon, common for the time of the year, casting long shadows everywhere. It was definitely colder with the sun down; Danny pulled his jacket closer around himself, fighting the chill as he made his way out into the parking lot.

A few cars still remained, even though school had been over for quite some time by that point, but otherwise it was quiet.

He just wanted to get home and maybe get some sleep in before he had to go out on patrol, it was pure luck that there wasn't any homework due the next day- and of course his luck that instead of going out to see a movie or something, he was headed home to _sleep_ so he would be awake enough tomorrow after searching for that ghost that had gotten away.

Danny grimaced at the thought, idly wondering what Jazz would have said about his problem, one of his problems, if he asked her. Probably have him committed. He was fairly sure that most people would have him committed, actually.

A noise broke through his quiet musing, startling him from his thoughts. Danny glanced around, trying to pinpoint the sound, but he couldn't see anything. Shrugging to himself, he continued on, tugging his jacket collar higher against the wind.

He stopped a moment later, sharp ears picking up the odd noise again. It was coming from his right; as soon as he stopped, so did it. He narrowed his eyes, feeling them turn green for a moment as he searched the shadows for whatever was hiding there. The last thing he needed was some sort of _stalker_ ghost.

It wasn't a ghost. He spotted them coming around the edge of the school building. Four of them- from the gang. They were seriously beginning to annoy him, why did they keep hanging around? His eyes turned back to blue as he contemplated going ghost and scaring the information out of them. They wouldn't stand a chance against Danny Phantom.

"Hey, Fenton!" Danny let out a startled yelp, as his name was called from across the parking lot. He turned, spotting Dash jogging towards him. "What are you doing here so late?"

Danny didn't answer, glancing back over to the building, half expecting the gang members to have disappeared, but they were still there, hanging on the outskirts, just visible in the lighting as though unsure as to whether they should continue or not.

Dash spotted them too; he realized as the quarterback put on a burst of speed and grabbed Danny's wrist and dragged him over to the familiar convertible, but with the roof up this time.

He unlocked the passenger side, shoving Danny into the car, even with his spluttered complaints, then sprinted around to the driver's side and slipped in.

"Dash, what…?" The quarterback shifted the car into drive and peeled out of the parking lot without a backwards glance. Danny grabbed at his seatbelt, clicking it into place as the school disappeared behind them. "What the hell?!"

"It's the guys from the park." Dash said by way of explanation, glancing in the rearview mirror as though somehow they could have been followed. Dash Baxter was running from a fight? A lot must have happened for the blonde to have been running from a fight. He used to instigate them.

"Yeah, they've been hanging around the school." Danny's right hand was glued to the handle on the door, knuckles turning white from their grip. "I don't think they had a car in the first place, so there's no way they can catch up to us." Thankfully Dash seemed to realize this as well, slowing until they were within the speed limit. Danny released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

"You've seen them around the school too?" Dash asked, going for nonchalant; it didn't fool him for a second. Dash was worried. The guy, who had taken a larger group on _for Danny_, by himself, was worried. Huh.

"Every once in awhile." Danny admitted, releasing his death grip. Dash nodded to himself, then took a sharp turn and pulled into the parking lot outside of a small restaurant. "What are we doing here?" He asked as Dash undid his seatbelt and opened the door climbing out.

"Eating." Danny scrambled to catch up, after a moments hesitation, leaving his bag in the car.

"I should just head home; I don't have any money on me." He certainly hadn't been expecting to be _rescued_ by the blonde and then dragged off to dinner. It was actually the opposite of his 'sleep' plan.

"I'm paying." Dash informed him as they reached the door. The quarterback held the door open and then gestured for Danny to go ahead- unsure of what else he could do, Danny stepped into the warm restaurant to the delicious aromas of Italian food. Dash stepped in after him, discretely placing a hand on the small of Danny's back to guide him to a table off to the side.

Greedily soaking up the contact, he valiantly fought back the thought that this was some sort of _date_.

* * *

"This is really good!" Danny moaned happily around a mouthful of pasta; oh course that probably meant that what he said made little to no sense, but he was warm and the food was really good and the company wasn't _too_ bad so he didn't care too much if he made sense.

Dash for his part just stared at him, then quirked an eyebrow and smirked, chewing his own food before he replied.

"Glad to see it passes your expectations." Danny shot a half hearted glare in the blonde's direction, too busy with the plate in front of him.

"How did you find this place?" He managed to actually swallow before he asked the question this time; he figured it made up for not making sense before.

"I worked here for a bit over the summer." Dash shrugged. Danny got the feeling that Dash was downplaying something, he just wasn't sure what. He decided not to push the subject though, reaching for a piece of garlic bread and focusing his attention on it.

Surprisingly enough, at least for Danny, a comfortable silence descended on them, one he wasn't sure he wanted to break. Danny hadn't thought that anything with the quarterback could be comfortable, looked like he had been proven wrong this time- he could say that he was all that upset about being wrong.

Something kept nagging at his mind though, he really wanted to ask Dash what was going on, if this counted as a…_date_. Although if it was, he was probably likely to go running from the restaurant like a lunatic and that wouldn't do.

"So…how's football practice coming?" Danny tried, startled when Dash nearly choked on his food in a burst of laughter. It wasn't his normal mocking laughter either, it was actually _happy_ laughter. Danny hadn't thought Dash could laugh like that.

"Danny- what do you actually know about football?" _Danny_, something inside him lightened at the use of his first name. A smile had made its way onto his face when he hadn't been paying attention.

"There's a ball…that you throw around." He wracked his brain for anything he could use to impress the blonde, but when it came to football he didn't really know anything. "And you're the quarterback…um…there's something called a Hail Mary?"

"Huh, well, that's more than I thought you knew." Dash actually looked impressed. It pleased Danny more than it probably should have. "The seasons almost over, but you could come to a practice sometime," Dash offered, eyes fixed on his plate in front of him. If he didn't know any better he'd say the blonde was blushing. "I could teach you the basics."

Danny got the feeling he'd ultimately fail at that, but for some reason he couldn't say no. It kind of sounded…fun.

"I don't think I'll be very good, but yeah- sure."

He had fun, the rest of the dinner going by faster than he had expected, or wanted if he admitted it. Before he knew it, they were leaving the restaurant, arms bumping as they headed for the car. The night had gotten colder, but he barely noticed with the warmth radiating from the body next to his.

"So, uh- thanks for dinner." Danny offered quietly, pausing next to the convertible when Dash stopped.

"No problem." Dash looked like he wanted to say something else, but whatever it was, was interrupted a moment later.

"Dash!" Two sets of startled eyes turned to whoever had called out. Kwan was across the street on the side walk, dressed in jogging clothes. He glanced down the road, and then jogged across to join them.

"Kwan jogs at night?" Danny hissed feeling panicked all of a sudden; his brain tried to remind himself that he had nothing to be panicked about, it wasn't like they were on a _date_. Dash nodded, but he looked vaguely like a small furry creature cornered by the big bad wolf. It was a weird comparison.

"Hey!" The other football player grinned at them, glancing from Danny to Dash in a knowing way that had Danny fighting the urge to run and hide. "What're you two doing here?"

"Grabbing something to eat." Dash supplied easily. Danny was too busy having an inner freak out to be much help with any answers. "There were some guys hanging around the school again, couldn't have Fenton getting in over his head again."

Danny ignored the twist in his gut at being referred to as _Fenton_ again, focusing instead on the fact that Kwan knew about the park when he had figured Dash was content letting everyone believe that he had been protecting his secret girlfriend.

"I wasn't going to confront them." Danny defended, annoyed. It was only partially a lie, he hadn't been about to confront them, but Danny Phantom had been. Dash didn't look like he particularly believed him. "I wasn't."

"You're really good at attracting trouble." Kwan grinned at him, and then turned his attention back to Dash. "Well, I'd better get going- leave you two alone." He winked at Dash, and then jogged off down the street. Danny watched him go, confused and a little defensive at the implication that he got into a lot of trouble.

"Fenton?" Danny bristled at the use of his last name, turning and heading around the side of the car to the passenger side and waiting patiently for Dash to unlock the doors. "What is it?" Dash actually looked worried- Danny shoved away any guilt at putting the look on the quarterbacks face.

"Nothing, _Baxter_." It felt weird to call Dash by his last name. Even when Dash had been bullying him, he hadn't called the blonde by his last name. He didn't really like it, but judging by the look on Dash's face he was starting to understand. "I just have some stuff I need to do, some homework…" The door unlocked and he slipped in. Dash slid in silently a moment later, glancing over briefly before starting the car. The remaining ride was silent.

* * *

Danny's locker shut with a slam, displaying fairly clearly his mood. He ignored the few startled looks it received, turning and striding down the hall, determined not to be stopped on the way to study hall. He was meeting Sam and Tucker there, he figured he should tell them about the gang members he kept seeing around the school grounds; anything to get rid of some of the frustration he could feel boiling beneath the surface.

A freshman jumped out of the way of his war path, eyes wide as Danny pushed past without a second glance. Great- now he was acting like Dash used to, and of course now he was thinking about Dash again. It didn't help his mood.

The quarterback had been conspicuously absent in math and science, finally showing up at lunch, but Danny had chosen to studiously avoid looking in that direction. If Sam had noticed she had kept quiet though, so he was grateful for that.

He figured he owed her big time. Considering it was getting harder to deny that he actually kind of liked the guy that used to shove him into lockers for fun. He wasn't sure what was weirder; the fact that he had apparently fallen for a guy or the fact that it was the guy who used to get his kicks making his life a living hell, it was a tough choice.

"Danny!" He sighed, pausing just inside the doors to study hall, cursing his luck. He had hoped to make it there unnoticed. "Wait up!"

Danny turned, finally noticing who was jogging down the hall towards him. Paulina. He grinned; actually a little excited to see her. She looked good, slim curves and a skirt that showed off long legs- not tall, muscled, blonde…he was doomed.

"Hey Paulina." She caught up to him, brushed a stray hair from her face and batted her eye lashes, Danny had the feeling he was being set up for something. "Um, what's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to talk to you before class." That was a first. Not that he really minded, but it was still a little odd.

"Okay, what did you want to talk about?" She stepped closer to him, a slender hand resting on his arm. He was pretty sure that she replied to his question, but he had stopped listening. Dash was a little ways down the hall, bag slung over his shoulder, scowl on his face. He was watching Danny and Paulina. He seemed to realize that Danny had caught him watching, turning, scowl still in place and essentially storming off down the hall regardless of the group of people that had been talking to him.

"You're a great listener, Danny." Danny blinked, focusing on the girl in front of him. He smiled, not as easily as before, but still managed to make it real as he dedicated himself to listening to Paulina.

He didn't have to pretend to understand what she was talking about for much longer though, when the second bell rang Paulina drifted off, slipping him a folded piece of paper. Danny stared at the paper in his hand in shock as he joined Sam and Tucker at a table.

"What's that?" Tucker asked as he sat down.

"Paulina's phone number." He'd been dreaming of this moment since the moment he met Paulina.

"Way to go Danny!" Tucker snagged the number from his hands, probably trying to memorize it before he had to give it back.

"Paulina gave you her number?" Sam was frowning, not celebrating with them, Danny had an idea why.

"Yeah. I guess she really does want me to invite her to prom." He and Paulina at senior prom? It was straight from his day dreams…the ones he hadn't had in awhile. He wasn't entirely sure what the big deal about prom was- it was still a long ways off, but maybe he could learn to be as excited as some of his classmates. He could start with inviting Paulina.

"Right. Can I talk to you for a second?" She glared at him from across the table, and then stared pointedly at Tucker. "Alone?"

Tucker glanced up from where he was copying down the number, finally catching onto what Sam was talking about.

"Uh, I have to go to the bathroom." Tucker announced, quickly leaving the table, and taking the paper with him.

"What was that about?" Now Tucker was going to suspect something was up. That was so not what he needed at the moment.

"You're thinking of asking Paulina to prom aren't you?" Sam accused, voice a harsh whisper in the still loud room.

"So what if I am?" It was his business who he invited and who he…didn't. If he invited Paulina then maybe he could get over this stupid _Dash_ faze and get back to being in love with the prettiest girl in school- who apparently now liked him back.

"Danny, if you invite Paulina because you actually like her, then I'll support you completely." Sam began, sliding forwards in her chair and bringing their heads closer together. "But if you invite her to get over Dash, or to prove to yourself that you don't have _feelings_ for him, then you're an idiot and will end up hurting a few people in the process." He opened his mouth to deny the accusation, and then shut it again at the look he was receiving. Of course Sam could see things Tucker couldn't- they were both his best friends but Sam had always been better at reading him. She'd always known things that he himself might not have wanted to know.

"I like Paulina." Danny protested weakly.

"You used to claim you loved her." She pointed out.

"I might like Dash." He held his breath waiting for someone to overhear or the sky to fall or whatever. Sam just nodded. "And he's not always a jerk. Not like he used to be and over dinner he-"

"Wait- dinner?" Danny winced at the sudden gleeful tone her voice had taken as she straightened up suddenly, grinning like the cat that had caught the canary.

"Yeah. Some of the gang members showed up last night and Dash all but kidnapped me when he spotted them and the next thing I know I'm having dinner with Dash at some nice restaurant." Danny let out a long breath, face tinted pink as he finished. Sam just continued to grin at him, like she knew something he didn't know and it was slowly driving him crazy. "What?"

"You two went on a date."

"No we didn't." He denied quickly, feeling his face turn even brighter pink.

"Yeah- you did." Sam smirked, glancing quickly over his shoulder. "Which is why I don't think Paulina should be your prom date." Danny opened his mouth to reply- to say something, but Tucker returned, dropping into his seat noisily as though to announce his presence. He glanced curiously between the two of them, but didn't say anything, instead digging out his books as Danny decided to fill them in on the gang members he kept seeing.

His mind wasn't on the topic at hand though, thinking instead of blonde hair, blue eyes and a hard body pressed up against his own.

Prom was a long ways off. He didn't even want to think about it at the moment, let alone who he'd be asking. So what if he asked Paulina? He and Dash weren't dating; it was ridiculous to even consider that. But he didn't get the same butterflies around Paulina as he did around the quarterback.

* * *

_Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring. Ring-ring. This is Jazz- sorry you missed me. Leave a detailed message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible- if this is mom, I already told you I would be back for Danny's birthday. *__**Beep**__*_

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Where the hell was his sister? It wasn't like her to take off and not check her messages. He was actually kind of worried. Maybe she'd run off on one of her adventures. She'd taken to taking off on trips with Green Peace or whatever her latest kick was.

Danny hung up the phone, tossing it across the room in frustration. He was officially convinced that the world was against him- or the universe. Something was out to get him.

"Danny?" He jumped, feeling sheepish as his mom peered through the door to his room. "Are you alright honey?" Great, now his mother was worried about him. Way to go Danny.

"I'm fine, just trying to get a hold of Jazz." His mother nodded stepping into his room and seating herself on his unmade bed. Danny sighed, joining her on the bed, figuring that he could add another person to the list of people who thought he needed to be locked in a padded room.

"Is everything alright? At school and with your friends?" He hadn't quite been expecting that.

"Yeah- just have lots to do." His mom tugged him close, placing an arm around his shoulders.

"You haven't really been yourself recently. I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I won't judge." _Mom I'm having an identity crisis, I have feelings for the guy who spent years shoving me into a locker and oh yeah- I'm half ghost._ He could imagine his mom smiling at him, in an understanding manner and then having him carted off in a straightjacket the next day.

"I know- thanks." She smiled at him, then stood and left his room, calling over her shoulder that dinner would be in half an hour. His sister was already going to think he was nuts, he didn't need his mom to believe it too.

* * *

All in all, he felt a lot better. The weekend had helped him forget some of his problems; he'd seen a movie with Tucker and Sam and had ignored most of his homework, choosing to put himself into a television and sugar coma for the better part of the day. Oh and the city had been blissfully ghost free, which made him a little paranoid, but seriously- he had needed the break.

So, he felt a lot more relaxed when he walked into school Monday morning. This of course didn't actually last that long. He'd been heading for his locker when of course he had turned the corner and found a large crowd milling around.

He pushed his way through, trying to find out what was going on, and bumped into Tucker on his way.

"What's going on?" He asked, balancing on his tip toes to see above the other students.

"Someone broke into the school over the weekend." Tucker explained. "They left a message for _Danny Phantom_." He sent him a significant look. Danny nodded, backed up and got out of the hall. He found the closest closet and ducked into it, going ghost and turning invisible. By the time he made it back to the hall, floating above the students, Lancer had arrived. A vein stood out on his neck, face purple as he read the writing on the lockers.

Danny felt his stomach drop out as he read the message once, and then again, glancing down the hall to where his own locker was.

Dash stood at the edge of the crowd, face too pale- it looked like he had an idea who wrote it. Paulina stood next to him, looking pale, but unsure about what was going on. He wanted to go over, stand next to Dash and- and what? Offer comfort? Yeah, like that would go over well. Get comfort? Danny snorted at the idea- eyeing the spray painted words again. He couldn't afford to slip up, not after this message.

Without a backwards glance he left, heading back to the closet to change back.

'**Watch out Phantom. We've got our eyes on you and your friends,'** Remained scrawled across a bank of lockers for everyone to see.


	5. A Fable of Sorts

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own

A/N- Yay! New chapter. First off, please don't hate me but our boys aren't together yet! But they will get there...eventually. Plus there's more to the sub plot! So enjoy! (Plus Sam has been turned into a total D/D fangirl...) and Danny is a bit of an idiot...

* * *

He'd grabbed Sam and Tucker and had slipped away quietly while the focus had still been on the locker. It hadn't been hard to get up and out onto the roof with the use of his ghost powers; it was a nice quiet place and free of the stampede of high school students that filled the rapidly emptying halls. At least half the school was leaving right before first period, all thinking they were friends of Danny Phantom and because of this, in danger. He wasn't sure how they all had come to that conclusion.

Danny ducked back from where he had been peering over the edge of the roof- lots of blondes, none wearing a red letterman jacket. Or Paulina, he'd been looking for her as well; she was just harder to spot.

"Look at them all." Sam sat, back against the edge of the roof, twisted so she could see the people below. "Danny- do you even know half of them?" He shook his head, grinning ruefully.

"This thing really has them spooked." The entire town would know by the next day and by then all of the parents would probably be back to protesting against Phantom. He didn't need the extra obstacles to deal with.

"I think it was that gang from the park." His friends gathered around, turning their attention away from the panicking students. "The one's I've seen hanging around the school."

"But how did they figure out who we were?" Tucker clutched his PDA nervously. That was the question, wasn't it? How had they figured out what no one else had? It was apparent they hadn't been as careful as they should have been, had been spotted together too often if Mo had figured it out.

"You'll just have to lie low for awhile. Let Phantom work alone." Danny announced finally. He couldn't see any other way. There was no way to protect Sam and Tucker all the time while he was off fighting ghosts, they'd be safer if they stayed away for awhile, maybe then the gang would realize they'd gotten it wrong.

"No chance." Sam glared at him as Tucker echoed her sentiment.

"It won't be forever, just until the gang decides they got it wrong."

"No- if you need us…"

"I can take care of myself." He protested, and then continued at her glare. "But I'll call if I need any help." Sam frowned, but nodded agreeing to the idea albeit reluctantly. Tucker agreed much more easily, which wasn't as reassuring as it should have been. Tucker was afraid- he got it, he really did. It had been nice having them watch his back though. It wasn't permanent, he reminded himself sternly. They'd be a ghost fighting trio in no time.

* * *

He'd made it to his second period class only to find that his class consisted of six people. The teacher had been conspicuously missing. He'd debated on skipping math as well, maybe just head home, but he wanted to see if the gang was going to show up again, which tended to be after school, so he had to stick around.

Danny had settled in, and had fallen asleep until the bell rang. He'd woken up and there had only been two other people in the class.

Gym wasn't any better, he discovered with dismay. It was probably one of his least favourite classes; normally, with thirty people there he could have blended in with the background, it didn't look like that would be a possibility anymore.

Sam and Tucker were there, but so was most of the football team, which included Dash. He'd been hoping that Dash had been in the crowd leaving the school earlier but he wasn't surprised that the quarterback had stayed. Dash was either crazy or brave- he was leaning towards the former.

Dash had looked up when Danny had walked in, eyes widening momentarily before he turned away quickly. Danny just shrugged and had rushed to catch up to Sam and Tucker as they began jogging around the track.

And to go with his already horrible day, they had been dragged back into the gym to play dodge ball of all things. He was convinced it had been invented merely as a way to embarrass innocent children and scar them for years to come.

Somehow he had ended up on the same team as Dash and Kwan while Sam and Tucker faced him. He wasn't convinced it was accidental; became convinced that it wasn't an accident when the game started and Dash dragged him to the corner of the court.

"Shouldn't we be playing?" Danny asked, confused. Dash glanced over his shoulder with a quick glance and caught the red ball that was aimed at them. Danny tried hard not to be impressed.

"What are you still doing here?" Dash turned them around so that Danny now had his back to the other side. Part of him wondered if this was some weird ploy to get him out of the game, but then Dash calmly reached around him and Danny heard the sound of rubber hitting rubber and a red ball bounced by them harmlessly. "You're out Hank!"

"Did you hit your head or something?" Danny squinted up at him; trying to spot the bump that he was sure was there.

"No," The blonde caught another ball and tossed it to Kwan. "Now answer my question so we can go kick their asses." He couldn't help but think that Dash took the game much too seriously. "What are you still doing here?"

Oh. Dash had seriously thought that he'd been in the crowd rushing from the school? He didn't think very highly of him, did he? The thought made Danny uncomfortable.

"I'm not about to run home because some thugs paint a few lockers." He snapped.

"Fenton! Baxter! Stop yakking and get in the game!"

A ball rolled to a stop by his feet, so he bent down, grabbed it and threw it. It missed its intended target by a mile of course. It only seemed to annoy him further.

"You're Phantom's friend." Dash ignored the coach, blocking a ball and knocking another player out without breaking a sweat. "Phantom knows you. It means you're not safe. Neither is your geek squad." Any irritation he felt at the nickname Dash had adopted for Sam and Tucker was deflated by the realization that the blonde was actually worried about him.

If he had thought Danny was a wimp, and therefore running from the school like everyone else, he would have said so. He was actually concerned for his safety; he'd never thought it possible. The thought made him feel oddly warm.

"Don't worry about me." A small smile made its way onto his face.

"I'm not." Dash defended but a matching smile was making its way across his face. "I just want you to watch your back."

It was fitting that a ball hit his shoulder at the moment. Dash grinned at him innocently, an odd look for the quarterback. He was irritated that their some what normal sounding conversation had ended but relieved that he was out of the game. He shot Dash one last look before turning and joining Sam and Tucker on the benches.

"What were you two talking about?" Sam shot him an unreadable look at Tuckers question. Danny watched Dash throw the red ball he'd been holding and knock down another member of the football team with far more force than necessary. The other jock glared at Dash, rubbing his arm as he headed over to the benches. It looked like something wasn't quite right in the popular kingdom. He'd have to fill Jazz in on it when he got a hold of her.

"Not much."

* * *

"Danny!" He glanced up from tying his shoes, feeling warm as he spotted the person calling to him. Dash dropped his bag onto the bench next to Danny's foot with a loud clank.

"Dash." He nodded. Tucker glanced between the two of them, confused, then apparently decided not to get involved and shoved his gym clothes into his locker.

"I'll meet you outside." He shot Dash another look before leaving the emptying locker room. He would have a lot of explaining to do eventually- and he certainly wasn't looking forwards to that day.

"What is it?" Danny asked, finishing his shoe and straightening up. The quarterback dropped his voice lower, probably mindful of the remaining members of the football team in the room. He was curious about what was going on with the jocks. Sam probably would have been entertained.

"The football season is actually over," Dash began. Well that explained the distinct lack of games. "But we still hold practices to keep in shape." Danny nodded his head when it became apparent that no further information was forthcoming.

"Uh- that's good." He offered. Dash shot him a mildly irritated look and continued.

"So, I was thinking you could drop by practice after school and maybe see how it's done." That almost sounded like- no, he was imagining things. Had to be.

"This wouldn't be so you can keep an eye on me, would it?" He questioned, eyebrow raised. The blonde turned a light pink in response. Danny could feel himself flush in return, remembering the library and the same tint of pink as he ran his foot up Dash's leg and he slipped lower in his seat- he cleared his dry throat. "Never mind."

"I'll give you a ride home afterwards." Dash offered quickly.

If he stuck around he could keep an eye out for Mo and his gang, he had no homework as half of his teachers had been missing; he had nothing better to do. Plus the prospect of watching Dash, unabashedly for who knew how long was…well- good.

"Sure."

"Great!" The blonde clamped down on his grin quickly, looking carefully uninterested. "I'll look for you in the bleachers then." He grabbed his back and headed out the doors, leaving Danny bemused in the room.

* * *

He was determinedly not watching Dash run across the field in his gym clothes. And he was most definitely not entranced by the way the shirt seemed to cling to his chest and arms. Perhaps agreeing to this hadn't been the best idea.

A surprisingly large amount of people had gathered further down the stands, all female. He was fairly positive they were all freshman- and their squeaky giggles when Dash ran by made it fairly obvious about why they were there. He kind of wanted them to go away.

He watched as the football sailed through the air and the quarterback caught it perfectly as it fell.

Dash paused for a moment, as though sensing his eyes on him. The blonde scanned the crowd; face lighting up as he spotted Danny.

Danny waved conscious of the glares he received from the girls down the bleachers as Dash nodded in return. He wasn't completely sure what they were glaring at him for- probably just mad he was taking Dash's attention away from them. He tried not to feel too gleeful about it.

Dash returned to practice and Danny returned to attempting to focus on the essay due at the end of the week. It was in vain, as he was back to staring at the quarterback moments later. He couldn't help it- it was like some weird magnetic force.

It wasn't any of the other guys either, just Dash- always Dash. As much as he hated to admit it, the blonde had always been a large part of his life; either as a friend or enemy. He preferred having him as a…friend.

"Danny!" He jumped, nearly losing his precarious grip he had on his papers. Paulina smiled at him as she joined him sitting in the bleachers. Danny returned the smile, pushing his work to the side. "What are you doing here?"

He glanced down at the field where Dash was engrossed for the moment, running drills, then back at Paulina.

"I'm doing some research…for an article I'm writing for the school paper…" He wasn't sure why he had made that up. She nodded her head, smiling coyly at him. He blushed, wondering if she was going to call him on his lie.

"Surely there are other things far more interesting than _football_ to write about." Danny glanced down at the field again and had to agree with her. Football wasn't that exciting.

"Probably," he grinned at her. "But someone has to do it." She laughed a quiet, tinkling sound- so unlike the brash laugh Dash had. "So what are you doing out here?"

"I had originally planned to scare Dash's fan club but I was actually looking for you."

"Me?" Danny flushed as he squeaked, but Paulina seemed to pay it no attention. She delicately tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear; he was struck by how everything about her seemed fragile. Except maybe her personality.

"I asked that tacky friend of yours- Spam- where you were." Danny bristled at the name, frowning. "But here you are now so it all paid off!"

"What do you mean?" He asked feeling confused.

"I've been looking for you all day to ask you out to dinner." He momentarily forgot to breathe. He had to be imagining things- Paulina, most beautiful and popular girl in school could not have just asked him out. What was he supposed to say? And Dash- no, he needed to stop that thought now. Paulina asked him out, he shouldn't have been thinking about Dash of all people.

"Uh-" At least he hadn't started stuttering. "Like a date?" She smiled at him, flashing pearly white teeth. So, definitely like a date then. Well why not? Dash was- complicated. A complication he could get around, possibly. Maybe. Paulina was an easy answer- but more than that because he liked her and had been in love with her for years- so not exactly an easy answer, just less complicated than Dash. "Yeah- sure. That would be great."

"Wonderful, it's a date!" Paulina tilted his head and kissed his cheek while down on the field Dash looked up and missed his pass.

* * *

"What's going on with you and Paulina?" Dash had been silent after practice, silently stewing over something. Danny had offered to just walk home but the quarterback had grunted a sharp 'get in' and Danny had complied. It had been a silent ride until the sudden break in silence.

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, staring determinedly out the window. Dash had looked up when she had kissed him. The thought made feel guilty for no reason.

"You and Paulina." Dash swerved around another car and up another street. He'd be home in no time at this rate- he just wasn't sure if it would be in one piece. His hand had the arm rest in a vice grip and he wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to let go.

He got the feeling that Dash was looking for a specific answer to the question. He didn't want to give any answers. The blonde was acting like a jerk; he'd never thought Dash liked Paulina as anything more than a friend but what else could he use to describe his insane mood other than jealousy? The thought made his gut twist uncomfortably. Dash wasn't supposed to like Paulina.

"What does it matter to you?" Danny demanded.

"She's my friend." She was his friend and Danny was his…something. He couldn't identify it.

"Green doesn't suit you Dash." He sneered. He couldn't help it; it was escalating further and further, getting closer to the point of no return. He wanted to hurt, to make Dash pay attention. It scared him. Dash jerked the steering wheel and quickly pulled into an empty parking lot, then turned off the car. He twisted his body until he was facing Danny, arm slung over the back of the seats, his hand just brushing the nape of Danny's neck. He shivered involuntarily at the contact.

"Fenton," He growled low in his throat. Heat shot through Danny, pooling low in his stomach; his fingers clutched at the arm rest as he flushed. Dash paused and took a breath, visibly calming himself. He'd never seen the blonde make the effort to control his anger before. "Danny; just tell me."

Danny swallowed, feeling hesitant about telling Dash now that the urge to yell and scream had passed. He didn't want to say because saying it would mean that something had changed, something he liked had changed and he didn't think it would ever be the same.

"She asked me out and I said yes." He watched, captivated as a myriad of emotions passed over Dash's face, before it settled on carefully blank. He wished he could get back the smile from earlier.

"Ah." He turned the car back on and carefully pulled back out into traffic, obeying the speed limit this time. They weren't far from Danny's house now, only a few blocks. A few blocks for him to fix whatever had broken. Sam was going to kill him when she found out.

"It's weird but I don't," He hesitated on the word _love_. He couldn't use it to describe Paulina anymore, not like he had been able to the previous year. "-feel the same way I did last year about her."

"Why are you telling me this Fenton?" Danny winced at the use of his last name as they turned onto his street. He shrugged, watching as they pulled up to his house.

"I don't know." He grabbed his bag and opened the door, slipping out. "I guess I'll see you at school." He closed the door and turned to head up the walk when his name was called out. Danny paused, turning back to the convertible and where the blonde was leaning across the seats.

"Do you…want to catch a movie sometime?" He felt his heart speed up, a smile appearing on his face.

"Sure."

* * *

"Way to go Danny!" He looked over as Tucker came bursting through the front door of Sam's house, excited grin on his face. Sam glared, getting up to shut the door behind their friend.

"Why hello Tucker- come right in, oh don't worry, I don't mind getting up and closing the door behind you." Tucker paused in his glee to shoot Sam an apologetic look. Danny grinned, leaning back on the couch.

"What's up, Tuck?" Tucker dropped down onto the couch, opening and closing his mouth like he wasn't sure where to start. Danny merely watched him figuring it had to be good if it got his friend into this kind of state.

"You and Paulina!" He finally managed to get out. Danny felt his stomach sink. "You're the school's hottest new couple!" He'd managed to lay low for a day. Sam's eyes widened, and then narrowed. Danny looked away, studying the large painting on the wall. The painting itself had to cost more than most of the stuff in his room combined but he couldn't see the interest in it and- yup, Sam was still glaring.

"That's great Tuck." He couldn't summon up the enthusiasm he knew he should have been feeling.

"Oh yes, it's great Danny- we're so _proud_ of you." Sam sat on a chair across from them, glaring daggers at him. "I mean, you've just liked _her_ for so long, why _wouldn't_ you two get together?"

"Yeah…" Tucker glanced at Sam then shot Danny a confused look clearly asking what he was missing. Danny shook his head- now was so not the time to explain his…obsession with the school jock. Tucker was likely to pass out or run screaming from the house. Then how could they have their movie marathon? "So when's the date?"

"We haven't actually set a date." Danny fidgeted under the scrutiny. "But maybe this weekend?"

"Oh," Sam arched an eyebrow. "And when were you going to see your movie with _Dash?_" Danny did a double take as she smirked at him. He hadn't told her about that. He was fairly positive he hadn't mentioned it at least, maybe he'd slipped or she'd guessed?

"You're seeing a movie with _Dash?_" Tucker stared at him incredulously. "As in Dash Baxter, school bully?"

"Ex-bully." Danny quickly defended, wincing at his slip up. Tucker just stared at him suspiciously.

"You've been spending a lot of time with him recently, haven't you?" Danny plucked uselessly at a hole in his jeans, praying that the strings he pulled off would hold the answer. Maybe he'd get lucky and Tucker would put two and two together and get three hundred and seventeen.

"I guess. School work and stuff." He shot Sam a look, silently begging for her help. She just smiled smugly at him and settled back to watch the show.

"I was in that group and he's not hanging around me." Tucker pointed out. They sat there quietly and Danny was about to suggest they start the movie when Tucker's eyes grew wide and his mouth formed a silent 'O'.

"Tuck-"

"I get it!" He exclaimed, jumping up. Danny placed a hand over his face, trying to hide himself before he died of mortification. "He's after Paulina!" For a moment he wasn't sure he had heard correctly. He pulled the hand away from his face, watching his friend carefully.

"What?" Sam asked, dumbfounded. Tucker smiled indulgently at her, taking his seat again, but this time leaning forwards as though to share the secret with them.

"Dash is hanging around Danny because he heard Paulina liked Danny," He explained. "So he's trying to get seen more or screw up Danny's chances or whatever- all to get _Paulina._" He sat back with a satisfied air about him.

"Dash likes Paulina." Danny repeated, summing it up. Tucker nodded his head.

"Yup- but don't worry, you've already got Paulina. No need to worry about _Dash Baxter_." Right. No need to worry about Dash. Because Dash liked Paulina. Not Danny- never Danny. He'd been right, in the car; Dash had been jealous of Danny and Paulina because he _liked_ Paulina.

"Danny," His thoughts were probably showing on his face as Sam quickly crossed the room, grabbing his hand. "No- it's not true. You know it's not true." But he didn't know, did he? Why would he assume that Dash liked _him_? He was a guy- not Paulina.

"Sorry Danny, but it looks like Dash is just using you." Tucker offered sympathetically. Danny didn't think he actually meant it, he couldn't fully mean it since he didn't know just how Dash had been using him.

* * *

He'd been prepared to let the phone ring until the answering machine had picked it up, but something had dragged him from his self imposed exile in his room to get it on the third ring. He'd spent the day avoiding Dash, avoiding Paulina, avoiding everyone and was completely prepared to hang up on whoever was on the other end.

"Hello?"

"_Danny!" _He nearly dropped the phone, surprised as his sister's voice filtered through. _"How are you?"_ Danny thought back to all the messages he had left on his sister's answering machine and realized his sister probably thought he was crazy.

"Not bad." He offered cautiously. Maybe he should have thought the messages through first. "Pretty much the same as usual."

"_Really? After all those messages I thought you were having some serious problems…"_ Of course she would think that.

"No, no- I'm…okay. Where have you been for the past couple of weeks?" He asked, carrying the phone into the living room and sinking down onto the couch. His parents had gone out, leaving him the house for the night; so he'd lounge around for a bit, pretend to do homework and then go out and patrol. There'd been some recent activity down by the docks but he got the feeling it was the box ghost. They'd been getting along pretty well for awhile. Danny let him keep a box and he went away quietly.

"_Oh- well…I was traveling around Europe- don't tell mom and dad, they'll freak! And I met this guy named Sven."_ His sister the rebel, he thought dryly. _"But that's not why I'm phoning. You left a few messages saying you were having problems with someone you liked."_

"Yeah," Danny replied humorlessly, staring out the window. "It's not a problem anymore."

"_Are you sure? I mean if you like them to the extant where you phone your sister repeatedly and ramble on and on…"_

"Jazz-"

"_Then you should go for it because Danny- you sounded like you were head over heels for this girl."_ Danny sat there silently, eyes wide and unseeing. _"Danny?"_

"Yeah-" He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I'm here."

"_Okay, well then, about your birthday…"_ Danny sat there and listened but his mind was reeling and he was no longer certain about anything.

* * *

"_Danny." The voice growled low in his ear. The heat pooled in him as rough hands stroked up and down his stomach, circling lower each time._

"_Please- please!" He panted, arching up, trying to urge his lover lower. Lips touched upon his collar bone, teeth nipped gently at his skin. They moved lower- too slow, never slow enough. They burned a path into his skin, a tongue darting out to lick one nipple as a hand caressed the other. _

"_Wait." He didn't want to wait; he wanted those lips on him, those calloused fingers inside of him. He need more, more, always more._

_Blue eyes, darkened with lust twinkled down at him, teased him. His lover bent back down his body, leaving a blazing trail in his wake. _

_The tension coiled through him as a hand wrapped around him. Finally- finally, he breathed. Then the hand was removed as wet, hot heat engulfed him and he cried out-_

"Dash!" Danny bolted upright in his bed, heart beating wildly in his chest. His sheets stuck to him with drying sweat as he flailed. The last remnants of sleep slunk away as he realized where he was and who was missing from his room. Danny sighed and tried to free himself from the blankets, but his legs had become entangled and apparently did not want to move.

He fell back onto his pillows, feeling the obvious affects of the dreams. He definitely wasn't over Dash, he had tried and failed. It looked like he'd need to talk to his sister after all. He cursed softly then gave in and slid a hand down his body to take care of the aching need coursing through him.


	6. The Magician and the Tower

A/N- FIRST OF ALL I RAISED THE RATING, just a heads up for something i may or may not do later on in the story...haven't fully decided yet. Secondly, i am soooo soooo sorry for taking so long to update but life has been very busy lately.... and i totally just had my prom (which was so-so but we got to go in a limo, which was fun!) which took up a lot of my brain...so very sorry i haven't updated sooner! Okay, so thanks to all who reviewed- this chapter has Sam explaining to Danny how he's an idiot, Danny and Dash getting a little hot and heavy (heehee) and Tucker being oblivious...and Danny and Paulina's date...first date to be exact...I'm going to try to write the next chapter really soon (there should be water, a boat, Dash in swim trunks and the box ghost soon), but reviews are always loved and help me write faster! (they remind me that i have something to work on....)

Enjoy!

* * *

"Danny!" He swerved off course, hiked his bag up onto his shoulder and tried to make a run for the boy's bathroom. A steel-like grip on his arm stopped him in his tracks. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

He winced as the grip tightened, ensuring that he wasn't about to try and run away again. Sam glared at him, fully aware that he had been avoiding her for the better part of the day; he'd nearly made it too, one more period and he'd have been home free.

"Hey Sam." He offered a weak smile and gave up trying to tug his arm free from her grasp. "Didn't see you there."

"Right." She snorted, and wow- he hadn't seen her that mad in a long time.

"I can't really talk, I'm supposed to be meeting Tuck out front for…" Danny trailed off weakly as the glare intensified.

"Tucker is at the dentist." Sam informed him and for a moment he honestly began to think that she was going to take a page out of the bullies she detested handbook and stuff him in a locker. He made a mental note to try to _never_ make her mad again. She pursed her lips and looked around, apparently trying to decide whether the hallway right before the end of the day was the place to have this conversation.

"I really need to get to class." Danny most certainly did not whine and Sam had no evidence to support her claim that he did.

"Its history- you were going to sleep through it anyways." She informed him curtly before he was being dragged down the hall and out through the back doors. There was no way to describe how screwed they would be if Lancer caught them out there and not in class; with prom and the end of the year coming up it was like the man was determined to get them as many times as possible before they were gone.

"Not true." He protested. He hadn't actually been planning on sleeping, he'd decided to work on a new route for catching ghosts; if he put capitals before each word it sounded much more important.

"We need to talk." Danny snorted at her choice of words, but remained silent at the pointed look he received. "You are an idiot."

"Okay, ow." He crossed his arms, feeling rather irritated with the lack of direction this conversation held. If she was going to yell at him he wanted to get it over with, or at least know why she was yelling. Except he had a rather good idea about why she was so mad at him.

"It's an idiot or a wimp." Sam perched on a step, mimicking him and crossing her own arms. "Take your pick."

"Sam…"

"Don't _Sam_, me!" She cut him off viciously. "You are either an idiot for not seeing what is right in front of you or a wimp for not going after what makes you _happy_." Danny blinked, slightly confused and looked pointedly at Sam. "Not me," Well, she was sitting in front of him. "Metaphorically!" Being pointedly obtuse appeared to be making her angrier. If he kept it up he had the feeling he'd be walking away from the conversation with a black eye.

"I'm not an idiot, or a wimp." Most of the time, he added mentally. "I'm being smart." Protecting himself.

Sam rolled her eyes, but at least she hadn't lunged across the steps to strangle him yet.

"I can't believe you're listening to Tucker."

"Hey! He's our friend!"

"And I love him, but he's almost as much of an idiot when it comes to _love_ as you are!"

"Love?" Danny squeaked; he could feel his ears burning, undoubtedly turning bright pink. Sam arched an eyebrow at him and stood. Danny flinched, waiting to be hit.

"Men are idiots." Sam sighed, sinking onto the step next to him and wrapping her arms around him. He blinked, looked over to where her head was now resting on his shoulder and then relaxed into the hug- at least she didn't seem about to kill him anymore.

"Not always." He protested lightly.

"Danny," she began, squeezing him tightly. "Trust me when I say that if Dash liked Paulina, not only would he not hang out with you, but the entire school would know he liked her."

"Well that's good, because Paulina apparently likes me." This time Sam really did hit him; she whacked the side of his head lightly, letting out a huff of irritation.

"And apparently you truly are an idiot."

* * *

"You have nothing to wear!" The wail came from inside his closet and made him wonder just how deep into the wall his closet went. From where he was sprawled on his bed he could not see where his friend had disappeared to. The myriad of clothes that were flung out of his closet every once in awhile littered the floor and made his messy room look even worse.

"Tuck, it's not for another three days." Danny slumped back onto the bed, suddenly feeling rather overwhelmed and threw an arm over his eyes. Maybe if he could block out the room it would all turn out to be a weird dream and he'd still be the unpopular guy who Dash pushed into lockers and Paulina snubbed for his alter ego.

Something soft landed on face, over his arm. Sighing he moved his arm and pried his eyes open and found himself staring up at a dark red shirt.

"I didn't even know I owned that." For the life of him he couldn't place where the shirt had come from or even if he'd worn it before.

"That's because it was at the very back of your closet underneath something that actually moved when I touched it." A distraught looking Tucker finally re-emerged from the closet, sending a slightly terrified glance over his shoulder. "Ghosts I can deal with but living organisms in the back of your closet rank right up there with hospitals."

Danny grinned, considering naming the 'organism' just to irritate his friend.

"I think," Tucker continued. "That it was eating a pair of your pants."

"So long as it's a pair I don't like." Danny dead panned and then phased, allowing the sweater thrown at him to hit the wall harmlessly behind him.

"That's cheating." Tucker informed him, grabbing his chair and sitting backwards on it. Danny just widened his grin and threw the sweater back, hitting Tucker soundly in the face.

"You're going to regret your lack of enthusiasm in three days when you're rushing around before your date, trying to find something to wear and the closet monster has eaten all of your good clothes." Danny blinked at Tucker, slowly digesting what he had said.

"Tuck…" He began, his good mood fading slightly. He put the twisting in his stomach down to nerves.

"I just can't believe it," Tucker continued, oblivious to the change in his friend's mood. "I mean, who'd have thought that Paulina would ever notice you?" Danny grinned ruefully as his friend continued to happily sort through his clothes.

"Yeah, who'd have thought?"

* * *

He was slowly immersing himself in hours upon hours of meaningless, violent television. At the moment it was quite possibly the best invention ever seeing as it really was doing its job and melting his brain. There was nothing he needed more than the ability to just turn it all off, to shut down his brain and just not _think_ for awhile.

Banging his head against the wall had not worked no matter how many times he had done it and his father had caught him doing it. In retrospect there were worse things that his parents could have caught him doing but it didn't make it any better. As it was, it had taken him an hour to convince his parents that no, they should not cancel their dinner plans and that no, he was not suffering from brain damage or possessed.

But now they were out and he had the house to himself for the next few hours.

God, the silence was killing him.

On the screen in front of him Bruce Willis successfully blew up a helicopter with a car and Danny took a moment to relish in the nothingness floating around his brain.

He was not thinking about school or prom or graduating; he most certainly was not thinking about Paulina or Lancer or _Dash_.

He had reached his Zen, the moment of calm- and he wasn't even sure what he was thinking anymore if his thoughts had strayed to _Zen_. He wasn't even sure he knew what that was.

The door bell rang just as he was getting up to get another bowl of popcorn. Danny glanced at the door from the kitchen and for a moment seriously considered ignoring whoever was on the other side and pretending no one was home. Only trouble could come from answering the door.

But before he could really decide on anything, the door bell had rung again and he found himself across the room, hand on the door knob. He was surprised to say the least.

"Hey." His stomach did an annoying flip flop thing and for a moment he forgot that he was supposed to reply.

"Hi?" He was fairly certain that he had just turned an awful shade of pink but Dash just sent him a half amused, kind of fond smile that just made him blush more fiercely. "What are you doing here?"

"I uh," Dash scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, peering over Danny's head into the darkened house. "Was in the neighborhood and thought maybe you were free tonight?" And Dash, who always looked so calm (or angry) and collected, was actually blushing. Danny wished more than anything that he had a camera on him at the moment. The pink tint made the quarterback's blue eyes stand out even more.

"Die Hard is on tv." Danny glanced back into his house and wondered if he was taking the easy way out.

"Which one?" Dash asked instead, peering more intently over the shorter boys shoulder. He hesitated, glancing inside once again and then decided what the hell?

"The fourth one," Danny stepped back so the invitation was clear. "I can start it over if you want to come in and watch it?"

Dash glanced back at the street, down to where his cherry red convertible was parked and for a moment Danny was just a little unsure of his decision. Then the blonde nodded, pocketed his keys and grinned.

* * *

Sam had an amazing theatre but she kind of hated most of Danny's action movies and Tucker could never sit still long enough for them so Danny usually found himself watching them alone; or with his parents but they swore that most scenes had ghosts in them, which tended to be pretty distracting.

It was great watching Bruce Willis kick ass with someone else. For once he had someone else to point out the coolest moments to and the parts where he would have passed out from sheer terror if he'd been there.

If he thought about it, he'd never really pictured Dash watching movies, ever. It was kind of surreal sitting next to him on the couch, listening to him rant about the type of car that the bad guys always seemed to drive.

His parents had come home some point after they'd decided to watch the first movie as well, but for once they hadn't tried to drive him crazy and had headed straight to bed with matching odd looks on their faces.

They'd had a popcorn break and when they had sat down again it was with their sides pressed firmly together.

Danny spent the next half of the movie hyper aware of Dash next to him and the heat radiating off of him in waves. His stomach was twisting, head swirling as he tried to catch his breath, tried to pull himself back out of whatever he was falling into and failing miserably.

The movie was just background noise, something that he could hear but could not make out, could not tear his attention away from the teenager next to him. He was drowning and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The screen turned black in front of them and it took him a moment to realize that the movie had ended. His breathing was harsh in the sudden silence.

Dash turned his head at the same moment Danny looked over and suddenly there was barely any space separating them. Their gazes locked and held; his hand clenched the fabric of the sofa at the heat that coursed through him at the charged gaze. He couldn't turn away.

Their noses bumped and he felt his eyes flutter close for a moment. Moist, warm air brushed across his lips, dragging him closer, taking control of him. His heart sped up, breathing increased and to his embarrassment a broken noise was torn from him as a hand snaked its way around him, resting on the small of his back.

He was already too far gone, the hazy, lust filled part of his mind pointed out, and Dash had barely touched him. The hand on his back slid up and under, brushing against his heated skin. Danny pushed back into the touch, arched into the body next to his and tried, just for a moment not to think.

His back hit the aged cushions on the sofa, the hand still trapped under his shirt sliding around to rest low on his stomach. A harsh pant escaped him as Dash followed after him, body heavy on top of his and hot- too hot. He could feel Dash, could feel just what this was doing to the quarterback. Their noses brushed again, hot air panted against his lips; if he just turned his head it would be perfect. If Dash just kissed him already-

The hand on his stomach slid down further, brushing the front of his jeans and resting, hot and heavy on the zipper; and then it stopped.

"Danny." They were on his parents couch at two in the morning with his parents upstairs. "_Paulina._" Blue eyes were filled with regret warring with want and need. What had he been thinking? This wasn't right- he was going out with Paulina; he had a _date _with her; a date with the most perfect girl ever. What was he doing?

"I don't," he began haltingly, his voice harsh in the silence, heavy with lust. "I want- I'm with…Paulina."

Something flashed across Dash's face and he felt the quarterback's entire body stiffen before suddenly lifting up and off Danny. He hadn't realized how cold the room was before then.

By the time he sat up Dash had gone.

He chose to forgo the stairs, floating up through the ceiling to his room. He didn't make it to his bed; leaning against the wall he shoved his jeans down around his knees and with a few quick jerks of his hand, he was gone, sobbing to himself for a reason he couldn't quite identify.

* * *

Paulina was beautiful in general. He knew from Sam that a lot of the girls at their school were jealous of her beauty, her popularity, her in general. And he was the lucky guy that got to date her. He could literally hear the exclamation mark when Tucker had phoned him up to congratulate him again.

Danny resisted the urge to tug needlessly at the end of his shirt. From the second he had walked into the restaurant, he couldn't fight the feeling that he was being judged. It was weird, it was uncomfortable and he really just wanted to go change back into his normal t-shirt.

That didn't look to be happening any time soon though.

Paulina had suggested a restaurant he had never heard of before and he, not wanting to upset her, had agreed to it without asking what type of restaurant it was. He sighed, glancing over the menu again and wondering if it would be weird if he just ate the free bread. With his luck, they would probably kick him out and Paulina would never talk to him again. But with the prices on the list and with what Paulina was planning on ordering, he'd be broke by the end of the night.

This place was incredibly fancy and the waiter had looked at him funny when he'd walked in without a tie. It made him miss the place he and Dash had gone to.

Danny swallowed thickly and shoved the thought aside before turning his full attention back to Paulina.

She was even more stunning than normal. With her long hair swept up and a Champaign coloured dress, she truly was the girl of his dreams.

"Valerie actually thought she was invited to my party on daddy's boat, isn't that hilarious?" Girl of his dreams.

He laughed something that didn't sound quite right to his ears but it satisfied his date, so it worked.

"Have I told you about Victor Feldsman yet?" She asked suddenly and Danny had to rush to keep up with the conversation and ensure that he wasn't missing anything crucial.

"Um, no?"

"Hmm, well, he's new to our school, just transferred this year," the waiter set possibly the smallest salad ever down in front of Paulina. It was going to cost him a fortune. "And he's become surprisingly popular for the new kid."

He was probably the jock with the short brown hair; he really couldn't be blamed for not noticing that there was a new addition when they all looked the same to him. Except for Dash.

"So popular in fact, that a lot of the jocks are switching their allegiance to him." From Dash. That explained the weird tension that seemed to be upsetting the popular kids hierarchy. "A lot of them have decided that certain people have interests elsewhere and are no longer fit to lead."

This was all because Dash was hanging out with Danny?

"What about you?" Danny asked, suddenly curious. At Paulina's confused look he continued. "Won't you be overthrown," he tasted the word out, deciding it fit. "If you date me?"

She laughed, something light and bubbly and at the same time incredibly condescending.

"They won't overthrow me." She reassured him, patronizing smile intact as though she were explaining something to someone below her. "They can't. I know too much about them all." In other words she could blackmail them all.

"I guess that's good then." She smiled at him, all teeth, predatory.

"So, would you like to know about your friend _Spam_ and Kwan?" She asked suddenly. Sam and Kwan? What about them?

* * *

She kissed him at the end of the date. Pink lip gloss that she had reapplied before leaving the restaurant and slender curves and strong perfume; he stood there awkwardly and tried to kiss her back. It was different with her; logically he had already known this.

He would have to get used to it.

With Paulina, he could have everything, popularity, acceptance, and the girl of his dreams.

But when he kissed her, he thought of someone else.


	7. Secrets and Lies

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- Hi! I'm back! Sorry it took so long, I had to wait for the plot bunny to bite me again and then get a rabies shot- but here I am! Thanks to everyone who reviewed (it helps me write!)! I still can't believe how much attention this story has gotten. I promise not to discontinue the story- I'm gonna follow it through to the end, the updates may just take awhile...I'm hoping to fix that but we'll have to see. As promised, this chapter has a boat, the ocean, lots of Danny/Dash, Sam is totally up to something and uh-oh, someone spilled the beans...oh, and there may be a cult, but that's for your imaginations to decide....enjoy! And remember, reviews are love!

* * *

"I want all the details."

Danny let out an unmanly squeak as his friend appeared out of nowhere and sat on the bench next to him. Across the table Sam, let out a distracted huff as she scanned the busy cafeteria for someone.

"The details?" Danny parroted, shooting panicked glances at Sam. She'd been on her own mini war path recently, taking every chance she could to make a sarcastic comment about Paulina. At the same time, she took every opportunity to point out how good Dash looked, or how _talented_ he was. Tucker was convinced Sam had a crush on Dash- Danny had to wonder why she was siding with Dash, since there was obviously no love lost between the two of them.

Thankfully Sam didn't seem to be paying them any attention. The last thing he needed was another earful of Paulina's faults.

"Yeah!" Tucker shoved a handful of fries into his mouth, while somehow not hampering his ability to speak. "You totally ignored my calls all weekend. So spill- how great was it?"

He stared at his friend, idly wondering why it was that Tucker wasn't the one dating Paulina.

"It was great." He directed his attention towards his burger and firmly told himself that it wasn't a lie. It had been great; he'd had fun, sort of. It was just a different kind of fun. Not like with say- Dash. He derailed that train of thought before it could go any further.

"What'd you do? Where'd you go?"

Next time he would just bring Tucker with him and then he wouldn't have to answer fifty million questions, he decided.

"Did she kiss you?"

At that, Danny nearly choked on the burger he had been hiding behind. Tucker cast a victorious grin in his direction, assuring him that it had all been intentional.

"She did! Didn't she?"

Danny was saved from having to answer as Sam suddenly straightened up and then, without a word to either of them, left their table.

The two boys exchanged a glance, confused and watched her go.

"What was that about?" Tucker asked, leaning to the side, trying to track their friend's movements.

Danny copied his movements and watched as Sam marched over to…

"Uh oh." He muttered. Sam walked right up to one of the popular kids tables and sat down.

"Did Sam just do what I think she did?" Tucker asked in disbelief.

If he meant, had Sam just walked over and sat herself down between Dash and Kwan, then he'd have to say that she did. Danny's stomach sank.

The two jocks both looked at the goth girl sitting between them, then seemed to shrug and go back to whatever they had been talking about. Danny watched, incredibly confused as they easily integrated Sam into the conversation. There was no yelling, no bad jokes at her expense (from what he could see), and certainly no explosion. This defied everything Danny knew about their high school.

Nerds and jocks did not get along. They couldn't even be seen in the same area.

But he'd broken the rules, hadn't he? Or at least Paulina and Dash had and he'd somehow been swept along in their wake.

Sam finally looked over, deliberately catching his eye and giving a small wave. He was pretty sure she was smirking.

* * *

"So."

Danny inwardly cursed as he jumped and knocked his head on the top shelf of his locker, surprised. With a groan, he glanced over his shoulder and turned pink as he realized just who he had embarrassed himself in front of.

Dash, for his part, didn't appear all that apologetic. In fact, Danny was fairly certain that that was amusement in the blue eyes; the blue eyes that were traveling up and down his body, slowly.

Danny blushed even harder and watched as the eyes snapped up to meet his again.

"So?" Danny finished fishing his math textbook out of his locker, trying to control the way his heart was pounding in his throat. He took a breath and turned around, closing his locker and waiting for Dash to say whatever he felt he needed to say.

"So," Dash began, gaze locked on the space next to Danny's head. "Paulina mentioned you might be going to her party. Her, uh, boat party." He clarified at Danny's blank look.

"Oh, yeah." The weather was just barely warm enough to hide his coat away in the back of his closet and Paulina was already planning a boat party. He'd never even seen her boat before.

"I guess I'll see you there, then." Dash cleared his throat and shifted somewhat awkwardly. A few people passing by gave them curious looks but the hall had emptied out enough that they weren't gathering too many stares.

"Right." He was feeling incredibly out of his depth.

Dash nodded, blinked and then turned to leave, apparently getting whatever it was he was looking for from the conversation and leaving Danny rather confused.

Danny reached out and stopped Dash from leaving with a hand on his arm before he could lose his nerve.

"What's going on?" Dash stared blankly at him, as though he was the one speaking in riddles. "With us." Danny clarified. He dropped his hand from Dash's arm to gesture between them.

The blonde opened and then closed his mouth, searching for the right answer. Danny wasn't sure there was a right answer.

"Nothing." He finally said, gaze bouncing everywhere but Danny. "You're dating Paulina and we're…" He trailed off at a loss.

"Friends?" Danny offered. The word sat heavily on his tongue, awkward and imposing and not how he would have described them. He wasn't sure what to use to describe them.

Dash gave him an unreadable look, and then nodded.

"Friends then."

Danny watched as he turned and left, this time making no move to stop him. He couldn't shake the feeling that 'friends' was a down grade from whatever it was that they were.

* * *

He was freezing. The cold air whipped around him, blowing his hair until he could barely see past his bangs and raising Goosebumps on his arms. Whoever had thought that a boat party when the snow had just melted was a good idea ought to be put away for a long, long time.

Oh yes, it had been his- uh- sorta _girlfriends_ idea. Three dates, he figured that meant they were officially dating.

Danny pulled his sweater closer to his body as though it would somehow make him warmer. It hadn't been warming him for the past hour, he was pretty sure it wouldn't make any difference now.

The music was loud and the deck was shaking with the vibrations; he wasn't even standing anywhere near the speakers and he was going deaf.

Paulina's boat was huge. He was fairly certain that he could have fit the first floor of his house on the main deck- twice. As it was, he hadn't seen Paulina in half an hour and he only knew three other people there, none of which liked him.

He hadn't spotted Dash yet.

Part of him was dreading it, but a larger part of him was looking forwards to the quarterbacks company.

He was pretty sure Dash was avoiding him though. He'd barely run into him at school all week and now, even on the insanely large boat; he should have at least seen a hint of the blonde somewhere.

What if he hadn't come?

Then Danny would be stuck alone for the next three hours until they docked again.

A violent shiver wracked his frame and he decided that he'd put in enough time on the main deck. He'd look for Paulina later, in the meantime he was going to make sure he didn't catch pneumonia or end up with hypothermia. That would just be the perfect way to end his week.

The stairs leading down to the lower- and warmer- decks were steep and Danny had to cling to the railing and enlist in the help of some of his ghost abilities to keep from sliding all the way down.

There were at least two lower decks, possibly a third, but he still hadn't gotten his sea legs and had given up after making it down two sets of stairs.

The first floor had been furnished with a pool table, video games, and couches. He'd been tempted to just stick to that floor, but there had been a group of teenagers gathered on the couches. He'd recognized one as the new jock to the school- Victor something? The football player had stared at him, dark eyes unreadable until Danny had ducked down to the next deck, feeling unsettled.

This floor, he decided he liked more. There was a mini bar and a fridge, twin couches and an amazing television. Plus it was empty. He could happily camp out there for the next few hours without any worries. Paulina would understand if he disappeared for awhile, right?

He was settled into the couch, pop in one hand, remote in the other when a voice came from over his shoulder.

"Looks like we had the same idea."

Danny jumped, somehow managing not to spill his soda everywhere and shot a glare over his shoulder.

Dash grinned and hopped over the back of the couch to settle in next to Danny. It looked like the quarterback really did enjoy sneaking up on him.

"I thought you'd be up on the deck with the party." Danny flicked on the television but barely paid it any attention as he surfed through the channels. His attention was unfortunately glued to the teenager next to him.

"And freeze to death? No way."

He shot Dash a quick look out of the corner of his eye. The blonde was bundled up in a heavy sweater, which was a shame- Danny flushed pink as he realized where his traitorous mind had led him. He quickly cast around for a different subject.

"So, that Victor guy is pretty creepy." Dash's face darkened as he glanced at the ceiling above them as though the new football player could see his glare.

"Yeah."

"I just thought you two would get along, since you have some things in common."

"Are you calling me creepy?" Dash shot him a wounded look, but Danny got the feeling he was being teased.

"Only a little." He teased back, enjoying the warm smile he received for it. "I just thought that all jocks got along."

Dash let out a little huff of air and slung his arm over the back of the couch, which just so happened to be behind Danny's shoulders.

"You make us sound like some sort of cult or something."

Danny chose to let the silence speak for him.

"Sam would probably end up studying you if you were a cult." He broke the silence a few moments later, sinking further into the cushions and against Dash in the process. It was just to warm up, he told himself.

"Is that why she's been sitting with us recently?" The blonde asked, deftly stealing the remote from Danny and settling on a channel. "I thought she was just flirting with Kwan."

"Sam and Kwan?" Danny repeated dubiously. That was the second person that thought there was something going on between Sam and Kwan- he had to be missing something. The other possibility was that everyone was losing their minds. He certainly knew the feeling.

"There are some weirder couples." Dash said nonchalantly, but Danny caught the quick look in his direction. He just couldn't figure out if that was a dig at him and Paulina. They were drifting into dangerous territory fast and Danny was out of his league.

"Why are you friends with Paulina?" He blurted out. He was failing at making conversation, floundering and grasping for any topic he could think of and making a fool of himself in the process.

"I dunno," Dash shrugged and shot him an unreadable look. "I just always have been. You're the one dating her- why are you dating her?"

Somehow he didn't think that _because she's the most perfect girl ever_ would be the right answer here. Dash was staring at him, blue eyes dark and intense and he couldn't tear his gaze away.

Danny's hand had a mind of it's own as it slid up Dash's chest, feeling the hard muscles underneath his sweater. They weren't friends- his mind helpfully pointed out. They were something else completely and it scared the hell out of him.

He froze as his phone broke the silence, the harsh sounds of his ring tone making him jump.

"Sorry," Danny stammered, not sure what he was apologizing for. "I've got to get this." He stumbled to his feet, trying not to take in Dash's confused look or the heat in the blue eyes as they tracked his movements around the room.

"_Danny."_ Sam's voice sounded loud and breathless in his ear. He gripped the cell phone closer and shot Dash a quick glance over his shoulder before disappearing down the next set of stairs.

"Sam- what's up?" There was a muffled crash in the background and what sounded like Tucker yelling.

"_We've got a ghost."_ There was a pause as Sam yelled something back, but she sounded more exasperated than worried. _"We could really use your help."_

They needed his help. He craned his neck and looked up the stairs but it looked like Dash had disappeared from what he could see.

No one would notice if he disappeared from the boat for half an hour, it certainly was large enough and it wasn't like anyone was looking for him. He'd be there and back in no time.

"I'll be right there." He promised as she gave him their location and he hung up. Danny waited silently, checking to make sure there wasn't anyone around and then went ghost, stepping out through the side of the boat, turning invisible and heading for shore.

* * *

It had taken him longer than he had thought it would, but not by much. What he'd originally thought was the box ghost turned out to be a rather vicious relative of the box ghost. One that was determined to bury Tucker under a pile of crates and ship Sam to Mexico of all places; Sam had looked like she'd been considering it too.

Danny really missed the old days when it was the box ghost and all he wanted were boxes. Ghosts nowadays were just getting weird.

He slipped back onto the boat, taking a moment to ensure he was alone before turning back.

The music was still loud, three decks above him, so obviously no one had come looking and panicked when they hadn't been able to find him.

A challenging ghost (albeit with odd aspirations), a chance to warm up and he got the ditch the party (that last year he would have killed to attend); he'd say that it had been a good day.

Maybe he'd watch some television until they docked.

Only slipping once, Danny climbed the stairs to the floor where he'd been watching television with Dash earlier only to come face to face with an irate blonde.

He managed to stop himself from falling backwards down the stairs, but only just. He let out a startled _eep_ as Dash grabbed him by the arm and hauled him over to the couch, forcing him to sit down and then towering over him.

"Dash?" He asked, startled- most definitely not cowering or watching fascinated as Dash's face turned various shades of red and his eyes an incredible clear blue.

"Where the hell did you go?" The blonde demanded, voice a harsh whisper, probably so they wouldn't attract any unwanted attention.

"Uh- nowhere?" Danny tried, breath catching in his throat as Dash leaned closer to stare him in the eye.

"Paulina was looking for you." Danny blanched. "And I covered for you because you weren't anywhere _on the boat_."

Dash had covered for him? How had he known he was gone?

"That's ridiculous; I was on the lower deck."

"No, you weren't." Dash stated with such certainty that Danny knew it would be close to impossible to convince the quarterback otherwise. He'd apparently really screwed up this time.

"You must have missed me." Danny assured him, aiming for a smirk and failing horribly.

"I searched this entire boat." Dash leaned even closer until he had an arm braced on either side of Danny's head on the back of the couch. Danny leaned further back into the cushions but there still was barely any space separating them. "I told Paulina that you were seasick and that's why she couldn't find you- but you weren't _on_ the boat."

Dash wasn't blinking, Danny realized. And the blue eyes were filled with anger, frustration and- _worry_. Dash had been worried about him.

"You thought I'd fallen into the water?" Danny asked, hesitantly.

Dash blinked and frowned.

"Not when I realized that you'd gone down stairs." That was as close to an admission as he'd get out of the quarterback. The thought that Dash was worried about him warmed him more than his sweater was, but made him feel guilty at the same time.

"I'm sorry I made you worry." Danny apologized, reaching up and resting a hand on one of the hands braced next to his head. The hand under his turned, and threaded their fingers together and Danny was suddenly very aware that he was- kind of- holding hands with Dash. It was unnerving how natural it felt.

"I looked _everywhere._" Dash continued, frown marring his features. "And you weren't on the boat."

The blonde continued to study him, surprise creeping across his features as the anger melted away before disappearing as Dash pulled back and slumped down onto the couch next to him, their hands still linked between them. Danny wasn't sure he knew how to let go.

"What?" Danny asked.

"Nothing." Dash tilted his head back and closed his eyes, looking exhausted for some reason.

"Tell me." He persisted, tugging on their joined hands. Dash looked down at their hands as though just noticing them, then up at Danny briefly before his gaze bounced away again.

"It's just- it's almost like you're…" Dash trailed off, then met Danny's gaze again, letting out something that sounded like a laugh, but sounded too hysterical for his liking. It wasn't Dash's laugh, it sounded wrong coming from the blonde. "Never mind. It's a stupid idea."

Danny's breath caught in his throat. Maybe Sam was right, maybe he was being an idiot. He was pretty sure that he was about to make a huge mistake but his mouth was moving before his brain could catch up with the rest of him.

"Almost like I was Phantom?"

Dash stilled next to him, eyes flying to Danny's. He waited for the yelling, for Dash to take off to tell everyone, or for the disbelieving laughter.

None came.

There was no explosion. There was no laughter or ghosts attacking or Paulina bursting down the stairs to tell everyone. Dash didn't even move; he just stared at Danny.

There was just a slow, shocked nod as understanding began to seep into the blue eyes.

Danny was ready to laugh it off, to pretend it had all been a joke, but he couldn't.

Sam and Tucker knew, and he found that he wanted Dash to know- _needed_ him to know, to understand.

"But you're-" He was pretty sure Dash was about to say _not Danny Phantom_, but they were interrupted.

"Danny!" Paulina appeared at the top of stairs. "There you are!"

"Hey Paulina." He discretely pulled his hand from Dash's, careful so Paulina wouldn't notice; he was pretty sure he was on the verge of panicking.

"Oh good- you're feeling better." She smiled at him, a dazzling smile. Danny tried to return it, but he was feeling unsettled, off balance and it was no where near what it should have been.

Paulina seemed to take it all in stride though, waving at him to come join her.

"There are some people I'd like you to meet!"

"I'll be right there." He promised as she turned on heel and disappeared up the stairs again.

"Danny-" Dash began.

Danny propelled himself to his feet and scrubbed a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture.

"I- uh, guess I'll see you later." He mumbled, excuses for what he said forming in his head for later.

"Danny." Dash called again.

Danny paused at the bottom of the stairs but didn't turn around.

"I'll see you later."

Part of him had expected a threat, but it didn't sound like a threat. In fact, he knew it wasn't one. Danny smiled to himself, nodded and continued up the stairs to where Paulina was waiting.

* * *

Remember- reviews make paranoid writers less paranoid...


	8. A Set of Unbalanced Scales

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- Hi! I'm back! This chapter gave me a bit of trouble but then I threatened it with my sword and we worked everything out in the end...Sorry that the updates are kinda far apart, I was going to update over the break- but I ended up in a really warm place :) I promise I'm not about to give up on the story and I am trying to post the chapters a little faster, just whenever inspiration whacks me over the head with a blunt object is when I write...Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Much love headed your way! So...this chapter is kinda angsty, and not nearly as much DannyDash interaction as there could be, but I hope I made up for it with the end of this chapter...:)The secrets out! (In more ways than one) Enjoy!

* * *

He was beginning to suspect that some higher power was working against him. For a guy that he'd been unable to avoid for the longest time, he was finding it close to impossible to track him down.

Dash Baxter disappeared every time Danny went looking for him. He was pretty sure that Dash wasn't avoiding him, the few times he'd seen the quarterback it had seemed like Dash was trying just as hard to talk to him but every time something came up and they didn't get close enough to talk.

Paulina had attached herself to his side to make matters worse. Which really wasn't something he should be thinking about his girlfriend, but she was driving him crazy. He'd never really noticed how annoying, or fake, her laugh was until he had been forced to hear it for two hours straight.

She made it hard enough to hang out with Sam and Tucker, but he was quickly becoming convinced that she was doing everything she could to keep him from talking to Dash. He wasn't sure why she felt the need to keep the two of them apart, but the only times he had even gotten close enough to the football player to ask for a moment alone or something, Paulina had appeared out of nowhere and he'd been dragged away again.

She couldn't possibly know about the thoughts rolling through his mind, right?

It had been a week and he was becoming a bit of a nervous wreck.

It wasn't like he could just head over to Dash's house either. If Paulina and her friends weren't with him until his curfew, Sam and Tucker commandeered him or he had to take care of a ghost. He was barely sleeping as it was.

Danny had never seriously considered that the universe was out to get him, but it was beginning to look that way.

Jazz would say his subconscious was setting him up. That it wasn't that he _couldn't_ get Dash alone, but that he _didn't want_ to get Dash alone and was finding excuses to keep away. He was a little worried that his inner voice was a perfect imitation of his sister.

This was a conversation he needed to have with Dash. He wasn't sure if Dash had understood what he'd been saying, wasn't sure if Dash would keep his secret, hell- he wasn't even sure what he'd been thinking.

He'd been thinking he needed Dash to know this about him.

He'd told Dash Baxter his biggest secret and the world hadn't ended. Go figure. It meant something- he just wasn't sure what, yet.

Danny tried to dart through the crowd in the hall, trying to catch up to the blonde at his locker. Maybe he could catch Dash this time and they could go somewhere and talk. Talk- yeah, that sounded good.

He was determined this time; nothing was going to stop him.

"Danny!" The shrill, high pitched call stopped him in his tracks as a well manicured hand closed around his wrist.

Dash glanced up from his locker and for a moment their eyes met and something spiked through Danny, something he could've swore he saw mirrored in Dash's expression. His pulse sped up and his breath caught in his throat. Then Paulina tugged on his wrist and the moment was broken. Dash turned back to his locker and Danny allowed himself to be dragged off down the hall to the cafeteria.

* * *

The problem he faced was how he was supposed to tell Sam and Tucker that he'd told Dash. It had been their secret from the beginning, the three of them and he wasn't sure how they would react to the news. He wanted to wait until he talked to Dash- there was always the slim possibility that he hadn't understood what Danny had been saying, or had assumed it was some huge joke.

Danny wanted him to know. It scared him- no, it _terrified_ him, but he was positive that he wanted Dash to know this about him. Well, mostly positive.

Sam may have suddenly been all for Dash (her hatred of Paulina winning out over her hatred of Dash, probably) but that was something completely different than letting the quarterback in on the secret that she had safe guarded for years.

Tucker was going to freak.

"What was it like to kiss Paulina? I bet it was amazing…"

Danny gave a half hearted grunt to his friends question and hoped that he wouldn't be called on it. He met Sam's gaze across the table in the study hall and she rolled her eyes at the way Tucker was fawning over Paulina.

"I'm sure he's had better kisses." Sam somehow managed to look both innocent and devious at the same time.

Danny spluttered and ducked his head to hide how red he was turning. The memory of warm lips and a hard body pressed against his, pressing him against the wall, down into the cushions of his couch, pulling him closer, crept into his mind and for a moment he let himself entertain it.

Tucker scoffed.

"Better than Paulina? It's not possible." Tucker said it with such certainty that Danny had to wonder if perhaps Tuck had kissed Paulina and Danny had somehow gotten a cheap knockoff.

"There is a world outside of Paulina."

Tucker didn't seem to have heard her.

Now would be a good time to tell them about Dash. Sam was in one of her 'Dash isn't a horrible person' moods and Tucker was too wrapped up in Paulina in his dream world to get really worked up.

And they couldn't get really angry at him anyways, they were in the middle of study hall and were carefully keeping their voices down- if they made a scene they'd end up with detention with Lancer and that was something they liked to avoid.

Sam waved over his shoulder at the entrance to the room. Danny and Tucker both shifted in their seats just in time to catch Kwan return the gesture and continue past the room.

"What was that?" Tucker asked.

"What was what?" Sam asked innocently, flipping through the textbook she hadn't touched in the past twenty minutes.

"You and Kwan." Tuck continued, frowning. "You're being all," he scrunched up his face, searching for appropriate word apparently. "_friendly._"

"We're just friends." Sam glanced pointedly at Danny. Danny wasn't sure if this was her 'I'm proving a point and you are an idiot' look or her 'make Tucker change the subject or I will kill him and then you' look. They were rather similar.

"You're totally flirting with him, aren't you?" Tuck demanded. Danny winced. It wasn't that Tucker had any interest in Sam that way; it was that he honestly seemed to despise every jock in the city. To Tucker it was betrayal.

"What would it matter if I was?" Sam looked ready for a fight. "It's none of your business."

This was why he couldn't tell Tucker about Dash. Tucker would never speak to him again.

"After the way jocks treat the rest of the school you can still-"

"When was the last time you were shoved into a locker?" Sam demanded, cutting Tucker off. Tuck crossed his arms sullenly and slunk low into his seat. "When was the last time you were actually targeted? You may not have noticed but this school has done some growing up."

Sam shot Danny another pointed look but he couldn't read this one.

"Besides," Sam continued. "How is your obsession with Paulina any better?"

Sometimes Danny got the feeling that he really should have felt jealous when Tucker went on and on about Paulina as though Danny wasn't dating her. When he thought about it though, there wasn't even the briefest flare of jealously. He tried telling himself again that he was just secure in the relationship he had with Paulina.

His inner Jazz mocked him.

"Paulina is an angel." Tuck's eyes went glassy again at the mention of the popular girl. Both Sam and Danny cringed at the statement.

"Her kisses are sticky." Danny muttered before he really thought about what he was saying.

"What?" Tucker turned wide eyes on him.

"It's just that," Danny scratched the back of his neck awkwardly at the scrutiny he suddenly found himself under. "She wears a lot of lip gloss and uh- likes to use a lot of tongue." He turned beet red.

Sam looked like she was about to collapse into a fit of laughter. Tucker looked outraged.

"Paulina is perfect!" Tucker defended. Was this really how Danny had sounded last year? How had Sam put up with both of them?

The teacher gave them a stern glare as Tucker's voice rose higher.

"You just don't appreciate her!" He continued, before grabbing his books and storming from the room. The whole effect was slightly diminished by the bell ringing just as he made it through the door.

"What was that about?" Danny asked, staring at the spot where Tucker had just sat.

"Tucker's a little high strung right now." Sam shrugged, gathering her books. That seemed a bit more extreme than 'a little high strung'.

"Did we just get into a fight?" Tucker had taken the comments a little personally. He'd been the one that had wanted to know!

"I think he's feeling neglected." Sam told him before heading out the door with a distracted 'see you later'.

Neglected? Who could Tucker have been feeling neglected for? Paulina?

* * *

It wasn't until the end of the day that Danny managed to corner Tucker. The halls were emptying out as everyone made a beeline for the exits, leaving Danny and Tucker standing there, with their lockers open and Tucker studiously ignoring Danny.

"Look, I'm sorry." Danny dropped his science text book into the locker with a large _clang_. "I didn't mean to insult…Paulina." He still couldn't figure out why Tucker had gotten so worked up over it.

Tucker kept his face hidden in his locker and didn't reply.

"I just sometimes talk without thinking, you know?" He tried again. Tucker snorted into his locker. At least it was a reaction.

"Erm…she's not really a bad kisser?" Danny tried.

Tucker finally looked at him and rolled his eyes. Danny offered a grin and Tucker grinned back. Well- that was easier than he'd thought it'd be.

"Wanna go check out the arcade?" He asked, exchanging his notebook for his math textbook.

Tucker opened his mouth to say something, the grin melting off his face right before something grabbed Danny from behind, spun him around and slammed him back against the locker next to his own.

"Fenton, right?" The new jock- Victor Feldsman, had a tight grip on the collar of his shirt, keeping him pinned to the metal and twisting the fabric so it dug into the skin of his throat.

Three more jocks stood behind Victor, looking just as menacing. He was pretty sure that they were not the ones that still hung out with Dash and Kwan.

"And you must be Foley." Another jock stepped forwards and grabbed Tucker as his friend let out a startled '_eep_'!

Danny watched with a sinking feeling as his friend was stuffed into his own locker and the door was slammed shut. There were four of them and one of him and he knew he could take them if he went ghost. But he'd spent years being bullied and the last thing he wanted was for _them_ to know his secret and he couldn't see anyway to use his powers without them figuring it out.

The fist to his stomach hurt, but Danny just grit his teeth and suffered through it. He'd get back at them later.

Victor leaned in close, really close and Danny didn't have a problem (for the most part) with Dash getting that close but with Victor it made his stomach clench uncomfortably.

"Since you and Baxter are so close," Victor spoke calmly and quietly and Danny's blood ran cold. "You can tell him that this is no longer his school."

Victor pulled back and Danny let out a shaky breath, glare firmly in place.

"He'd better watch his back."

"Tell him yourself." Danny snapped.

The jock let out a short, mirthless laugh and then wrenched Danny away from the closed locker fast enough to make his head spin and shoved him into his own locker, closing the door before Danny could yell.

Danny kicked the door in anger and frustration but he could already hear the jocks moving off down the hall. The space was cramped and Danny took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"What was it that Sam said about the school growing up?" Tuckers muffled voice came through the lockers, sounding irritated.

He'd get them out of there in a second; Tucker was finally talking to him.

"Feldsman doesn't count." Danny sighed. "He's new." And he was pretty sure that Feldsman was a year younger, which meant that when Danny left at the end of the year, Feldsman wouldn't be leaving too.

"Jocks don't change Danny." Tucker didn't sound as mad now, he sounded more resigned. "They'll always pick on us nerds."

He wanted to tell Tucker that he was wrong, that not every jock was out to get them. He wanted to tell Tucker about Dash and how he'd changed, how he treated Danny like a human being- how he, maybe, cared about Danny. He needed to get them out; he was beginning to get mushy.

The door was wrenched open before he could go ghost though and he found himself staring at familiar blue eyes. He tried not to blush too deeply at being found stuffed in his own locker by Dash of all people.

"What are you doing in there?" Dash asked, stepping back and holding out a hand to help him out.

Danny accepted the hand and slowly climbed out, holding Dash's hand a bit longer than was strictly necessary.

"Ambushed." Danny stretched, definitely not watching as Dash's eyes slid quickly over his frame. It definitely didn't make him blush harder. Of course not. "It's been a long time since I was shoved in a locker." He commented idly, feeling a flash of guilt to match the guilty look that crossed Dash's face.

"Why didn't you just-"

"Can someone let me out?" Tuckers voice cut through whatever Dash was about to ask. Dash turned and jimmied Tucker's locker open, offering a hand to help Tucker out. Danny shoved down the ridiculous surge of jealousy. Tucker ignored the hand and stumbled out into the hall.

"How'd you find us?" Danny asked.

"Heard you talking." Dash shot a calculating look at Tucker.

"Jocks…" He muttered under his breath but loud enough for Danny and Dash to hear.

Dash chose to ignore him.

"Why didn't you just go through the door or wall or something?" Dash asked instead, turning to Danny again. "You know- phased or something?"

Tucker abruptly stopped muttered and turned, open mouthed to stare first at Dash, then at Danny.

"Uh-" Danny squeaked.

Dash looked ready to ask another question along the same lines but Danny clamped a hand over his mouth in a fit of desperation. Dash gave up trying to talk against his hand, crossing his arms over his chest and giving Danny an annoyed look until he removed his hand.

Tucker turned on heel and stormed down the hall without bothering to close his locker again.

"Tuck!" Danny called after him. He was tempted to go after him; he really should go after him… "Tucker!"

"Danny?" Dash's hand landed on his shoulder, heavy and warm and Danny could feel himself leaning into the touch.

Danny sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. When had things gotten so complicated?

* * *

Danny managed to make it through the door and across the room before he collapsed. The couch was much more comfortable than the floor anyways. He tossed his bag sideways and stretched out on the cushions, arm flung over his face in an attempt to block out the rest of the world.

Dash had offered to drive him home but Danny had declined, choosing instead to just fly. He had hoped that it would clear his head- to find some miracle solution to stop Tucker from being mad at him.

He'd wanted to tell Tuck about Dash knowing; he really should have done it when he'd had the chance.

The chance- Danny snorted, he'd had the chance to talk to Dash after Tucker stormed off. Looked like his inner Jazz was right, he'd run the first chance he'd gotten.

"You look terrible."

Danny jerked up off the couch, tripped and landed in a heap on the floor.

His sister stared down at him, eyebrow raised and probably cataloguing the chances that he'd finally lost it while she was gone.

"Jazz!" He climbed to his feet and hugged her.

It probably just confirmed her theories, but he'd missed her.

"What're you doing here?" He asked pulling back.

The siblings sat on the couch, Danny turning to face her. Something lifted off his shoulders and it just felt like everything was going to get better now. Jazz would sort everything out, tell him what he was doing wrong and share her wisdom of how to get Tuck to stop being mad at him.

"I'm back in town for a few days," She waved it off. "You look like death warmed over."

For a moment he panicked that on top of everything else, his powers were malfunctioning again, and then he realized that he probably looked stressed.

"Haven't been sleeping well." Danny mumbled. Technically it was true. If it wasn't a ghost, it was dreams of Dash and on one memorable occasion, a fifty foot version of Paulina ate him.

"Is this about the girl?"

"The who?" Danny stared at her blankly for a moment before it clicked. "Oh! No-no, uh, not the…girl."

Jazz studied him, clearly not believing him but letting it go for the moment.

"So, it's about Dash Baxter then." Or so he thought.

"What?" He was gaping at his sister in a rather accurate impersonation of a fish but he figured he was allowed it. She'd been gone for a year; there was no possible way she could know…

"Sam phoned. A few times actually."

He was honestly going to kill Sam. She was enjoying this way too much.

"She was kidding." Danny offered weakly.

Jazz shot him a disbelieving look. He'd make the death look like an accident. Yup- that's what he'd do.

"Danny," Jazz grasped his hand and he just knew he wasn't going to like the next part. "We'll all still love you, no matter who you fall in love with."

"Whoa!" He wrenched his hand away, startled. "Fall in love with?" He'd never said that, he wasn't even sure if he'd ever thought that. It was a crush. Just a crush. One that he was getting over.

Jazz got a slightly pitying look on her face that clearly said she thought he was missing something fairly obvious. For her next act she would tell him that cats could fly and ketchup was made of apples. Oh, and that the Box ghost actually hated boxes.

"Danny," She sighed, snagging his hand again before he could escape the room and by association the conversation. "You left me, like fifty messages about this 'mystery person' and Sam's been filling me in."

"I was a little overwhelmed!" Danny defended.

"I can't say that I'm surprised…"

"Well I am!" The conversation was quickly getting out of hand. "Jazz, I'm dating Paulina."

His sister pursed her lips and did her best impression of a disapproving parent. Maybe he wasn't the one losing it, maybe the rest of the world was.

"I know."

He made a mental reminder to never let Jazz get near Paulina. Somehow he didn't think it would end well for anyone; especially not him.

"I'm not…in _love_ with anyone." He practically pleaded, trying to make her understand.

His sister just shook her head and pulled her hands back, clearly not believing him. Danny let out an explosive sigh and slumped back in against the couch.

"You're only making yourself miserable by denying it."

He really wished she would just drop the subject.

"Tuckers mad at me." Jazz raised an eyebrow. "Really mad. I'm not sure how to make up with him. Maybe you could talk to him?" He looked at her hopefully.

"Nope." Jazz pushed up and off of the couch, calling over her shoulder as she headed into the kitchen. "You're got to clean up that mess on your own this time."

He suspected that this was revenge for the previous conversation.

* * *

"I really like this guy but it's complicated." He admitted, floating a foot off the ground. "I'm not really sure what to do."

Danny caught the box as it came sailing through the air at his head.

"And I'm dating this girl, who I was head over heels for last year and she's kind of…" _Mean_. "Not what I expected."

He placed the box on top of the pile that was steadily growing next to him.

"It's like everything's been switched around and suddenly she's…uh, and he's…" He trailed off awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Another box came flying towards him, but he caught it easily and added it to the pile. He had quite a pile going.

"And it's really hard to talk to people about this." Danny admitted. "So I appreciate you listening." He phased and the next two boxes just sailed harmlessly through him to land with a loud clatter in a corner.

"I am the box ghost!" His companion shouted, clutching a small crate to his chest as though Danny were about to steal it.

Danny rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you are." He tossed the thermos carefully in the air and caught it again. "And I wont send you away, because you listened, if you promise to stop throwing crates at people."

He couldn't believe he'd sunk as low as to talking to the Box ghost about his problems.

* * *

There was a large crowd of students gathered in the parking lot after school as Danny made his way from the building.

He glanced around for Sam and Tucker, to ask what was going on, before he realized that he hadn't seen them all day. Probably for the best too- he'd tried to phone Tuck the night before only to be hung up on.

Instead he decided to investigate for himself.

Danny slipped through the steadily growing crowd, catching glimpses of red as he got further to the front. A red car.

With a sinking feeling he made it to the front of the crowd. Dash's red convertible was trashed. The windshield cracked in a few places, scratches running the length of the car and one of the side windows smashed.

The trunk caught his attention. The words 'Watch out' were spray painted across it and gathering the most attention from the crowd.

He couldn't see Dash though.

In fact, Dash wasn't in the crowd. Danny scanned, feeling panic begin to creep up on him. He couldn't find Dash.

Kwan was pushing his way through the crowd and Danny ran and caught up to him.

"Where's Dash?"

The football player stopped and turned to face Danny, surprised.

"Office last I checked." Kwan raised an eyebrow, taking in Danny's worried frown. "He's okay, it was just the car."

Danny shrugged, breathing a silent sigh of relief.

"What happened?"

"Dunno," Kwan glanced over at the car, frustration and concern mingling on his face. "We walked out after the bell and the car was totaled."

"Danny!" Danny and Kwan both turned towards the source of the call.

Sam waved from the steps, face unreadable as she signaled Danny to come join her and Tucker. Danny offered Kwan quick thanks for the information, and then darted through the crowd to his friends.

"Someone totaled Dash's car and spray painted-"

"You told him?" Sam cut him off, voice an angry whisper.

Danny stared at her dumbly for a moment, before she grabbed his wrist and led him and Tucker around the side of the school. Everyone else was gathered in front of the school meaning there was no one there to overhear their conversation or to act as a witness when his friends murdered him.

"I can't believe you told Dash Baxter!" Sam exploded.

Tucker stood next to her, arms crossed and glaring at a space over his shoulder.

He'd been right; he should have told them when he'd had the chance.

"Do you know what you've done?" She demanded. "Because I don't think you do!"

"I thought-"

"No," She cut him off. "You obviously didn't!"

"He's a jock!" Tucker finally spoke up, but still refused to meet his eyes. "Someone who spent years mocking us, shoving us in lockers and making our lives miserable!"

That wasn't fair- Dash had changed. It wasn't an act, like Tucker seemed to think it was.

Dash was _different_.

"People change!" He defended, anger and guilt fueling him.

"Dash Baxter doesn't!" Tucker shot back.

This was ridiculous; they were fighting over something that couldn't be changed.

"I knew what I was doing." He'd known without a doubt that he'd needed Dash to know.

Danny didn't take chances; he didn't put himself out there. He waited until it was safe or hid behind Phantom. He'd made a step towards changing that and he couldn't regret it.

"Was this just some ploy to get closer to Dash?" Sam demanded.

Danny wasn't sure how to answer that. He shrugged and Sam's glare lessened a bit.

"Why would he want to get closer to Dash?" Tucker asked her. "What are they, best friends now?"

Tucker glanced from her to Danny, confusion warring with understanding as he tried to fit the pieces together.

"It's complicated." Danny offered meekly.

Sudden understand and surprise passed over Tucker's face before he went carefully blank. Danny couldn't read what his best friend was thinking and it hurt.

"Danny," Sam took a deep breath, reigning in her own anger and hurt. "It's your secret to tell. One that we've kept for the past couple of years. We're not…turning our backs on you or anything." Tucker wasn't meeting his eyes again and Sam looked like she was having difficulty meeting his gaze. "We're just…disappointed."

That was worse than them being mad.

There was a sharp pain in his chest but he kept it off his face.

* * *

It was late.

He'd slipped out of his house, unable to sleep and had flown without really thinking of a destination.

He'd ended up here.

Danny perched outside the window on the second floor, still in ghost form and tried to relax. The occupant of the room would be sound asleep at this hour but Danny had just needed to be close to him.

"You can come in, you know."

Danny started and nearly fell before he righted himself.

Dash smirked, pulling his head back in through the open window, apparently waiting for Danny to follow. Danny went right through the wall, taking the opportunity to show off.

"Neat trick." Dash settled back onto the unmade bed.

Danny took in the slightly disheveled hair, sweatpants and thin t-shirt and deduced that Dash had been having trouble sleeping as well.

Danny hesitated a moment, then turned back into plain old Danny Fenton, still dressed in his flannel pajamas that he'd gone to bed in a few hours earlier.

"Couldn't sleep?" Danny asked as he took a seat next to Dash on the bed.

"Isn't that my line?" Dash asked with the hint of a smirk, gesturing at his window. "But yeah- just kept thinking about everything. You?"

"Sam and Tucker." Danny admitted. He slid over until his back was pressed up against the wall and his legs were stretched out on the bed. Dash mimicked the position and it felt natural, like they'd been doing this for years.

Dash bumped his shoulder.

"Yeah," He winced. "Sorry about that."

It wasn't Dash's fault. Danny was the one that had told him and he did feel better for it. Even if it was just a bit.

"Not your fault."

"I'll keep your secret." It wouldn't be the first secret Dash was keeping for him.

They sat there silently for a moment, lost in their own thoughts.

"Still," Dash broke the silence, shooting Danny a slightly devious look. "It is pretty cool."

Cool? He hadn't really thought of his powers as being 'cool' for a while. He'd grown too used to them probably, had gotten too used to taking advantage of them. Sam and Tucker had as well.

"Yeah," He grinned. "They are pretty cool."

"That night in the park," Dash asked suddenly and Danny didn't have to ask about what night he was talking about. "Why didn't you just fight the guys or take off or something? Were you just going to do nothing and hope that someone walked by?"

Dash was frowning down at him and Danny nearly reached up to smooth away the frown but stopped himself quickly.

"I couldn't 'go ghost' with them watching, cause then they'd know." Dash was still frowning though. "But I would have done something if you hadn't walked by. Thanks for that, by the way."

"No problem." Dash relaxed again and ended up pressed more firmly against Danny.

His breath caught as the heat seeped into him and pooled low in his stomach. He needed to get out of there or he'd end up starting something.

"I gotta get home." Danny scrambled off the bed and to the window.

"Danny."

He paused and a hand landed lightly on his shoulder. He allowed himself to be turned around until he was facing the quarterback. Sometimes it was easier to let go.

Danny tilted his head up as Dash tilted down and they met half way. Their lips brushed, lightly, but Dash pulled back when Danny tried to deepen the kiss.

Danny raised an eyebrow, breathing heavier than he cared to admit but Dash just smirked softly. He took a second to center himself, then changed back into Phantom and with a backwards glance, took off back into the night.

His lips tingled the entire way home; it was surprisingly easy to fall asleep after.

Thoughts of Paulina, Sam, Tucker, jocks and ghosts were just swept away.

* * *

Don't worry, Tucker will be explained soon! He has reason's for being mad! So will Sam and Kwan...I'll try to post the next chapter soon! Hope you enjoyed!


	9. A Sword and a Sheild

Dedicated to Endless Eclipse and Katie from scoots 3

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own

A/N- OMG! I've updated! It's a miracle! I've had the beginning sitting around for soooo long and I sat down and finished it today! Woohoo! So, some people should be pleased with this chapter. I hope. Oh and the gang shows up again! Yes- more subplot! So...instead of putting this off longer- enjoy! (and I will love you forever and ever if you reply cause I'm paranoid like that!)

* * *

Danny felt sick to his stomach.

He'd tried to convince his parents that he'd come down with some sort of virus, but they had just stared at him knowingly until he'd reluctantly grabbed his school bag and left the house.

He wasn't sure if Jazz had told them something or he was just really obvious. He didn't really like either option.

He'd tried phoning Tucker; the first three times he had hung up before anyone could answer the phone. The other two times he'd been hung up on before he could get past 'hi'.

It wasn't exactly a conversation to have over the phone though.

His best friends weren't talking to him and he wanted to rant and rage and claim that it wasn't him, that he wasn't _like_ that, if only to get Tucker to talk to him again. But…he was tired of lying.

He'd spent years lying about everything- lying to everyone. Tucker and Sam had been the two people he'd never had to lie to.

He didn't want to take it all back, to start lying to Tucker, but a part of him kind of did- if only to get him to look him in the eye again.

"Hey."

Danny glanced up, startled from where he had been staring at the same library book for most of the lunch hour. He'd decided to hide out in the library, if only to avoid sitting by himself in the lunch room while Sam and Tucker pretended he didn't exist.

Not that they'd had the chance, since he hadn't seen them since the previous day.

Dash slunk down into the seat across from him, looking tired with bruises under his eyes, but still smiling despite it.

"Hey." Danny returned the greeting and gave up the pretense of pretending to read. He flipped the book closed and pushed it off to one side.

"You looked like you were brooding." Dash informed him, and instead of teasing, he just appeared a little worried. "Wanna share?"

Danny opened and closed his mouth, surprised. Share with Dash? The idea was appealing.

"Tucker's mad at me, Sam's disappointed and neither of them are talking to me." It felt better telling someone else. It occurred to him a moment later that he would have to explain why that was the case. The thought terrified him.

"A year ago I wouldn't have thought that was possible." Dash muttered. He waited, as though expecting Danny to go on but Danny couldn't think of anything to say. The blonde shrugged instead and reached into the pocket of his jacket.

"I got you something." Dash pulled something small out of his pocket and held it out.

Danny hesitated then reached out, feeling the weight as Dash pressed the object into his palm. He pulled his hand back, a small smile breaking across his face as he took in the small Phantom keychain that he was holding.

"I got it from one of those vending machine things at the store down the street." Dash was turning pink across from him. "Just to show you, that you're like…a hero to people and everything." Danny blinked, a warm feeling settling in him. "Even when they're trying to kick you out of town and stuff."

Dash was studying him nervously, as though making sure that everything he said was okay. Danny broke into a wide grin, feeling incredibly happy for a guy whose week had been going horribly up until a few moments ago.

He slipped his keys out of his pocket and attached the Phantom key chain, displaying it proudly.

"Thanks." He gave into temptation, since the library was practically empty and reached across, squeezing Dash's hand briefly. Dash didn't even blink, just flipped his hand over and squeezed back before letting go. "It means a lot."

Dash grinned and leaned back in his chair, completely relaxed.

"Does this mean I can talk you into walking home with me after school?"

Walking home? Danny frowned, and then realized why that question seemed odd. Dash's convertible.

"I can't believe I forgot!" Dash raised an eyebrow at him. He'd been so wrapped up with everything that was going wrong for him that he had completely forgotten. "Your car…how is it?"

The spray painted words on the trunk were just too similar to the ones on the row of lockers to be a coincidence. Which meant that it was _his_ fault.

"It's in the shop." Dash shrugged, glancing away. "I figured it was better not to tell my parents about it. I've got really good insurance." The blonde grinned at him. Danny couldn't figure out how he could just get over it so quickly.

"But the spray paint," Danny protested. "It was probably the gang." He dropped his voice and leaned forwards.

"It could have been any teenager with a spray can and the urge to wreck something." Dash said carefully. He narrowed his eyes as though figuring out what Danny was alluding to. "It's not your fault."

It was Danny's turn to shrug, fidgeting under the gaze.

"Besides, something good came out of it." Dash continued grinning at Danny's confused look.

"What?" Danny watched as Dash stood, gathering his bag up. For a moment it looked like Dash wasn't going to answer.

"I get to walk home with you."

Danny couldn't wipe the smile off his face as Dash strode out of the library with a wave over his shoulder.

DI

"Danny!"

He paused at the doors to the school, textbook in hand and tried to decide whether he wanted to run for it or stay and face whatever happened next. He figured the second option would end with a lot of yelling or disappointed looks. It wasn't like he could make a run for first period- the bell wasn't going to ring for quite some time.

"Can we talk?"

Danny turned, mentally preparing himself for whatever his best friend wanted to question him about now.

Sam didn't look like she was about to start yelling, she didn't even look angry. Instead she just looked awkward, hands clasped loosely together and if he didn't know her better, he'd have sworn she was shuffling her feet.

He'd been expecting the same treatment he'd been receiving since they found out about Dash knowing; a mixture of disapproving, hurt looks and the silent treatment. He wasn't sure what to do with this.

"Uh- sure?"

Dash had walked him home the night before, and while it had been…well, he'd had a lot of fun- he missed Sam and Tucker too.

They walked, side by side away from the front doors, over to a bench under the shade of a tree. There weren't a lot of students milling around, too early in the morning, but the ones that had arrived early paid them no attention.

"I'm sorry." Sam blurted out.

"What?" The apology was unexpected. Sam had trouble apologizing for the smallest things, let alone something she clearly thought she was right about.

"I shouldn't have said those things," she continued, sinking down onto the bench next to him and for the first time in days, not avoiding eye contact with him. "They were uncalled for."

An apology had definitely been the last thing he had expected.

"It's okay." He shrugged it off; trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal when it clearly was anything but.

"Danny- don't." Sam gave him a look that told him clearly that she wasn't believing a word he said.

"Fine," he rubbed a hand through his hair, beginning to feel frustrated. It felt like no matter what he did, it wasn't the right thing in someone's eyes. "It's not exactly okay. I don't get why one minute you think Dash is great and then the next you're convinced he's going to tell the whole _town_ my secret!"

If Sam was shocked by his outburst, she didn't show it.

He kept his voice down, mindful of the other people wandering around the yard; the last thing he needed was more people knowing about Danny Phantom.

"And it has nothing to do with him being a jock, not with the way you've been hanging out with Kwan." Sam blinked and turned pink. It was a day for firsts apparently. "Tucker won't even _look_ at me," and it made him sick every time he thought about it. "Would it have been so _hard_ to have respected _my_ choice to tell Dash?"

He finished, breathing hard and rested his face in his hands feeling more exhausted then he had all week. He just wanted Sam and Tucker on his side again but not if it meant giving up these changes; not if it meant giving up Dash.

"I was jealous." Sam admitted so quietly next to him that he nearly missed it.

Danny looked up at her, shock written clearly across his features.

"No! Not like that," Sam hastened to correct the statement. "I was jealous of the fact that you could so easily tell someone you had hated for so long."

Oh. Part of Danny could understand that.

"It was our secret." Sam continued awkwardly, playing with the hem of her skirt. "Just us. Everything's changed this year though, and it's our final year here before who knows what and…it just hurt that suddenly you were closer to Dash than Tuck and me."

Danny stared ahead blankly. Had things really changed that much? He glanced over at his best friend; it was true that maybe he had been spending more and more time with Dash but he'd never meant to drift from Sam or Tuck. Were they drifting?

He squared his shoulders and reached out, sliding an arm around his friend's shoulders and pulling her closer for a half hug. He wasn't going to let them drift apart.

"I think that's Tuckers problem too." Sam said softly from his side. "He feels like you've replaced him with Dash."

"So the whole thing," he waved his hand around in hopefully a manner that would show just how confusing the thing was. "With Dash isn't freaking him out?"

"Oh, it probably is a bit." She shrugged, a mischievous grin making its way across her face. "But he's probably more pissed off that you're still dating the most popular girl in school and apparently have the most popular _boy_ chasing after you."

Danny blushed, turning his head slightly so Sam wouldn't catch it. He still couldn't figure that part out himself; when had he become so interesting?

"I'd better talk to him." Danny finally said.

Sam straightened up next to him, pulling away from the hug.

"Yeah. So, are we okay now?" She asked, looking unsure.

He couldn't honestly say that their fight didn't still hurt and that he still resented what she had said- but she was his best friend. He didn't want to fight with her anymore.

"Yeah," He grinned at her relieved smile, feeling better than he had in awhile. "But you're going to be making it up to me for quite some time."

"How about I just pay for the limo and after party at prom?" She asked, slightly evil grin on her face. He groaned, covering his face with his hands. Prom was the last thing he wanted to be thinking of.

DI

"I bought my dress months ago! It's designer from New York, daddy didn't care how much it cost since its _Prom_."

Danny wondered if this was what it felt like when one was drowning.

"We'll have to go shopping for your outfit so we match. I can't have you clashing with my dress, it would be _so_ humiliating!" Paulina giggled, clinging tighter to Danny's arm as they made their way down the hall.

It was lunch and he'd been hoping to make a clean getaway and find Tucker, maybe try to talk to him, but Paulina had cornered him outside of his science class.

"And the limo will pick us up early so we can go to dinner first with Valerie and Victor," Victor Feldsman? "Because I heard that they…"

Danny stopped listening, half because the thought of prom made him queasy and half because he had spotted Tucker.

He tried to signal his friend, discretely, without interrupting Paulina- but Tucker either didn't see him or didn't _want_ to see him because he turned down a different corridor and disappeared into the crowd. With Paulina attached to his arm it wasn't like he could go after him.

Dash appeared at the corner Tucker had just disappeared down, suddenly. Danny waved, trying to get him to come over and distract Paulina for him. Instead, Dash glanced between Danny and then the hall Tucker had disappeared down.

Oh no- he wouldn't.

Dash grinned at him and then jogged down the hallway after Tucker.

Oh god- he was. He was going to go try to talk to Tucker. Danny would never be able to get Tucker to talk to him now. And while he really should have been running after Dash, to stop whatever the quarterback was doing (probably trying to help Danny, which made him kind of ridiculously happy, but probably wouldn't be doing any good), Paulina steered him into the cafeteria and Danny lost his courage to face that particular problem.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate Dash's help. It was just that it probably wouldn't help. At all.

"And you'll have to buy the tickets this week if you haven't already." Paulina was saying. "Because they're not selling them next week."

He really needed to get away from everything prom related. At this point, he didn't even want to go.

And he had just spotted his escape.

"Paulina," He broke in just as she was about to start in on her shoes. "I need to go talk to Sam and Kwan about something…prom related." He pulled away from her quickly, continuing when she opened her mouth, probably to tell him off or something. "It's a surprise I'm planning…so I'll see you later."

He darted off before she could try to get the surprise out of him. Great, now he'd have to come up with some sort of surprise.

Someone bumped into him hard as he made his way to the other side of the cafeteria. He glanced up to apologize only to find Victor Feldsman glaring down at him.

"Watch where you're going, fairy." The jock scowled at him and kept going.

Danny stared after him, mouth hanging open in shock. The shock turned quickly to irritation though as he tried to shrug it off and made it to the table where Sam and Kwan were sitting.

"Hey." He greeted, sliding onto the bench next to Kwan in time to catch them quickly hiding a few sheets of paper. Danny glanced from one teenager to the other, eyebrow quirked as he tried to figure out what was going on.

"What was up with Feldsman?" Kwan asked, apparently having seen everything.

"Oh that." Danny glared over his shoulder at where the new jock was sitting across the room. "It was just him being an ass."

Kwan nodded, accepting the explanation.

"What did he say?" Sam asked, glaring and probably wishing she had powers of her own to get back at Victor.

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Danny replied dryly. It was true though, after the initial shock and irritation- it had just been a name from a guy that he could care less about. It bothered him more that he even had that initial irritation.

Sam and Kwan exchanged a look that Danny couldn't read before apparently deciding to change the topic completely.

DI

"Please tell me you weren't trying to talk to Tucker earlier." Danny practically begged, cornering Dash at his locker after school.

The blonde glanced up in amusement before going back to shoving a large text book into his bag.

"You did, didn't you?" Danny let his head fall forwards and hit the next locker over. Tucker was never going to speak to him, ever again.

"Relax, will you?" Dash reached out a hand and rubbed the back of his neck. Danny glanced around quickly but there wasn't anymore else in the hall and it was more of a reflex then out of actual panic.

"I can't. Tucker's never going to speak to me again. I'll run into him at our ten year high school reunion and I'll be that guy that he used to know but only sort of remembers his name."

Dash chuckled next to him and the hand dropped. The locker closed with a click and the blonde turned to lean against it.

"I'm glad my pain amuses you." Danny muttered.

"I only cornered him for a minute." Dash admitted. "I asked if we could talk and once he stopped _panicking_, honestly you'd think he'd have gotten over the whole bully thing by now, he agreed to meet with me tomorrow for a bit."

Danny looked up and just stared at the other teenager. Dash fidgeted.

"Well, it's not like he's listening to you. So…I just thought, maybe I could try to talk to him?"

Danny continued to stare as Dash shifted awkwardly.

"Seriously, Danny- can you, like, say something? You're making me kind of nervous."

There were a flurry of warm _feelings_ flowing through him at the moment and he didn't quite trust himself to reply.

Instead he reached up, wrapped his arms around Dash's neck and just _hugged _him. The quarterback seemed surprised at first; standing there awkwardly like he wasn't quite sure what to do. Danny didn't let go though, burying his face in Dash's collar bone, because the blonde really was tall and Danny wasn't. Finally, Dash wound his arms around Danny, pulling him tighter against him and returning the hug full fledged.

"You're awesome." Danny finally muttered into Dash's black t-shirt.

"Awesome?" He could feel the rumble of Dash laughing lightly. "Says the guy who can turn into a _ghost_."

Danny pulled back, grinning. Dash returned the grin, with something fond and soft creeping across his face.

Was this what it was supposed to feel like? Danny wasn't sure. Should it feel like this with Paulina? And if so, then why didn't it?

It might have been selfish, but he wanted this feeling all the time.

DI

He'd stayed up all night, tossing and turning. In fact, he had been making so much noise that his sister had eventually barged in, demanding that he either tell her what was wrong or to knock himself out.

So, he'd spilled the beans. About _everything_.

And he hadn't ended up sleeping, but neither had Jazz.

She was only there for a few more days so it wasn't like she could tease him forever about it.

So there he was, no sleep, stomach twisting and churning and making him feel like he was going to be sick. But he needed to do it.

"Danny!"

Deep breaths.

"Can we talk?" He tried not to feel too guilty at Paulina's suddenly unsure expression and led them to an empty class room.

"What do you want to talk about?" She perched on the edge of a desk, crossing her long legs and Danny had to wonder when he had stopped wanted her and started wanting blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Um…us." Danny took the seat across from her, if only to stop himself from pacing. God, it was hard.

Paulina didn't say anything, just watched him and played with a manicured fingernail. Well, he'd started this; he'd need to finish it.

"I just- this isn't working out." He said in a rush, face heating up. He couldn't tell what she was thinking but he got the feeling he'd be leaving the room with a hand print on his cheek or something.

"Because, you're gorgeous and popular and everything- and everyone loves you, I mean, Tucker doesn't shut up about it, _ever,_" He stopped himself for a moment, realizing that he was rambling. "But I just don't feel the same way about you that I did last year."

Maybe he was growing up, maybe he was just crazy. He didn't know, all he knew was that he wanted the chance to find out and he had a feeling he knew where he could find the elusive happiness he'd been looking for with Paulina.

"So, I don't think we should go out, or go to prom because that wouldn't be fair to either of us." He finished.

Figuring out what to say with Jazz had helped a bit. He wasn't tripping over himself as much as he thought he'd be.

He waited, holding his breath, expecting a slap or something.

He wasn't expecting the slow, sad smile that slid across Paulina's face.

"I guess we're both looking for something that neither of us has." She slid off the desk, hugged him and then pulled back. Danny just sat there, surprised and confused.

"Uh, yeah?"

"I'll just have to find a new date for prom." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, a slightly superior look on her face because she _knew_ there would be people lined up to take her to prom. There was the Paulina he knew.

"If you're looking for recommendations," he began, standing. "I may have just the guy for you."

DI

To say that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders would have been an understatement.

He felt great, walking down the hall, grin on his face. Excitement was bubbling through him and he knew that if he didn't let it out somehow, he'd explode.

It was ridiculous, this giddy feeling. He'd just broken up with his _girlfriend_, and he couldn't have been happier. Okay, maybe he could have.

But this was crazy- hell; he was crazy, especially with these thoughts running through his head.

Oh god, he was going to do this.

He took a deep breath, turned the corner and looked around. Dash wasn't at his locker.

Oh well, he'd just keep looking. The blonde had to be there somewhere; worse came to worse he could just corner him after English.

Danny turned around and nearly walked into Sam.

She took one look at the grin on his face and dragged him into an empty class room.

"What happened?" She demanded a grin of her own sliding across her face. Apparently it was contagious.

"I broke up with Paulina."

For a moment it looked like she was trying to appear sympathetic but it failed and her grin stretched wider instead.

"How'd the princess take it?" Sam asked instead.

"Surprisingly well." He admitted. "She gave me a hug and everything."

Sam leaned forwards, checking his back as though Paulina might have planted a 'kick me' sign there somehow without him noticing.

"Wow." She grinned. "You look like you won the lottery."

He felt pretty good too.

"So does this mean," She began but was interrupted as Kwan ducked his head into the classroom, out of breath.

"Something's happening outside!" He told them before taking off again. Sam and Danny exchanged a glance, sinking feeling spreading and sprinted after Kwan.

The front steps were crowded with students all trying to find out what was happening. An ambulance was just pulling away from the school and various cop cars were parked on the road and lawn.

Some of the students had their phones out, filming it, or were talking to friends who weren't there.

Danny looked around, craning his neck as he tried to spot Dash and Tucker in the crowd.

Kwan was the one to spot Tucker, taller than Sam and Danny and able to see the teenager at one of the cruisers, sitting on a bench and talking to one of the officers.

The jock led the way through the crowd, clearing a path easily until they managed to make it through.

"Tucker!" Sam shouted. Their friend looked up and spotted them, then said something to the officer he was with and the three of them were let past the hastily erected barricade.

"What happened?" Danny asked as soon as they were close enough. Tucker looked up at them and Danny could see the beginnings of a black eye forming on his friend, along with what looked like a split lip.

It made him furious.

The officer stepped away to give them some privacy and Sam seated herself next to Tucker, wrapping an arm around the blanket over his shoulders.

"We were talking out back," Tucker was missing his glasses and hat as well, squinting at them. "And they just came out of nowhere."

"We?" Danny asked, feeling cold.

"They just kept asking who Danny Phantom was and he wouldn't tell them and I couldn't tell them- I was just so _scared_." Tucker rambled on, apparently having not heard him.

"Tucker," Danny crouched down in front of him, grabbing his hands and his attention. "Who is 'we'?"

He needed to know- he needed to know it wasn't who he thought it was.

Tucker glanced distractedly over his head and Danny had the feeling he was going into shock. Why hadn't they taken him to the hospital as well?

"They needed my statement first." Tucker mumbled. Apparently he had said the last part out loud.

Danny followed Tucker's line of sight and spotted someone sitting in the back of one of the police cars.

He recognized the red Mohawk from the park and the group hanging around the school.

"Tucker," he tried again, softly, catching and holding his friends attention. "Who was in the ambulance?"

A second ambulance was pulling up behind them and the paramedics were headed their way but Tucker kept his eyes on Danny this time.

"Dash." Danny could swear he felt his heart stop. "I'm sorry Danny, I'm really sorry- he didn't tell them and I should have listened to you…"

Danny stood abruptly and slid onto the bench next to his friend.

"It's not your fault." He hugged Tucker. "It's not. It's that gang- and I'm going to stop them."

Oh god- Dash.

Kwan was still standing there looking confused and angry and kept glancing over at the guy in the police car as though he wanted to go over there and do to him whatever they did to Dash. Danny knew the feeling.

He felt sick. And cold. And he wasn't sure what he was going to do.

No- he knew what he was going to do. He was going to go to the hospital with Tucker, he was going to see Dash, stay with him for as long as he was allowed. And then he was going to find the gang and settle the score.


	10. Justice or Vengeance

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- Hey, guess what? I'm back! With a broken toe and a head cold and allergies (apparently i can only write while incapacitated in some way) and a new chapter! You guys have no idea how much I love you all right now! (especially for being patient with me while I fight off writers block for this story)- the screen is currently swimming in front of my eyes so let's just skip to the story, shall we?

Bonus points if anyone can guess the television show at the end of the chapter ;)

* * *

Danny had only been to the town's single hospital a handful of times and that was including his own birth. None of the times had included coming in, in an ambulance. He'd taken one look at Tuckers starkly pale face back in front of the school as the realization of where he would be going had sunk in and had climbed into the ambulance after his friend, Sam squeezing in next to them.

They were reassured that it was only to check to make sure that there wasn't anything they missed, that Tucker appeared to be fine except for a few obvious bruises. Danny didn't argue; Tucker tried to but Danny clamped a hand over his mouth and Sam held his hand tightly and eventually Tucker gave in, sitting the ride out quietly.

The ride, full of turns that felt sharper in the back of the ambulance and the paramedic's bright smiles, seemed to take forever.

Danny felt numb, felt cold all over and his mind wouldn't stop whirling. While Tucker was sitting next to him, alive and alright and he could _see _and _feel_ this, the original panic that he had felt, probably only moments ago though it felt like hours, was still coursing through him.

He could see Tucker next to him and while the bruising he could see appearing made him see red, his own imagination was making him _furious_. All he could see was the ambulance pulling away from the school, Dash in the back. He kept picturing the blonde lying on the ground, bruised and bloody with Tucker screaming in the background. When he closed his eyes he could see the gang leader, ugly face pinched and lips pulled back in a smirk as the others held Dash down.  
He felt nauseous.

He felt like he wanted to lash out, to _snap_.

Danny opened his eyes, looked at the paramedic and the falsely bright smile and wanted to ask about Dash, ask if he knew anything but his voice was stuck in his throat.

The ambulance came to a stop and they were let out of the back, not hours later even though it felt like an eternity, just moments later.

He could have flown there faster, could have already found Dash; but he looked at Tucker and felt guilty for wanting to leave his best friend when he was clearly about to have a panic attack.

The ER was busy as Tucker was seated on a bed, Sam sliding up next to him and pulling him into a half hug as nurses and doctors darted around.

Danny scanned the room, standing on tiptoes and straining his neck searching for some sign of the blonde. He thought he caught a glimpse of blonde hair but it wasn't Dash.

"Danny," Tucker reached out and snagged the edge of his t-shirt, catching his attention. Danny scanned the room, a little desperately, one last time before turning most of his attention back to his friend. "Just go ask someone."

He didn't want to leave Tucker, not when he was curled in on himself and flinching at every sound, but Tucker stared back defiantly and tried to straighten his shoulders.

"I'll be fine." Tucker paused, hesitating. "I want to know about Dash too."

"I'll be right back." He promised and took off before either of them could change their minds.

He wasn't sure he wanted to know but he definitely _needed_ to.

"Excuse me." The nurse on duty looked tired and like she had too many things to be doing with no time for Danny, but she smiled at him nonetheless. "There was a teenager brought in here not long ago, blonde hair, letterman jacket. His name is Dash Baxter- I was wondering if you could tell me where he is?"

She raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down and Danny wondered if he was showing how anxious he was.

"Are you family?" She asked, grabbing a folder and flipping through it, attention divided between it and Danny.

"Well, no," Danny shoved his hands in his pockets to resist the urge to fidget. "But he's ah…a close friend." He stuttered and tried not to blush but the way that he was being watched he knew he had failed. "Please, I just need to know he's okay."

The nurse made a little noise of what was hopefully agreement in her throat and checked a chart balanced on the edge of her desk.

"It looks like he's already been claimed by his parents, they got here right after the ambulance. He's already been moved to a room."

"A room?" A room meant that he couldn't just go home with his parents; a room meant that there _was_ something wrong.

"There's nothing too serious wrong," She grabbed a pen and jotted something down on a scrap of paper handing it to Danny. "Just some bruising and a possibly broken wrist, the doctor will be able to tell you more."

Danny looked down at the paper and let out a shaky breath, realizing it was a room number.

He thanked her and headed back over to Tucker and Sam, noting the doctor leaving them as he approached.

"I'm free to go." Tucker said in a rush as soon as Danny was close enough that he wouldn't have to yell. He eyed the exit with longing but didn't jump off the bed like Danny had expected him to. "Did you find Dash?"

Danny nodded, gripping the paper tighter in his hand as though afraid to let go, like someone would snatch it away if he loosened his hold at all.

"How is he?" Sam asked, worrying her bottom lip.

"Bruising and maybe a broken wrist." He scrubbed a hand through his hair and tried to breath evenly. It was all getting to be too much and he hadn't even seen Dash yet. Nothing would be okay until he could prove to himself that Dash really was all right, he needed to _see_ it to be sure.

"My parents are on their way." Tucker looked like the adrenaline was wearing off and he was ready to fall over.

Danny glanced at Sam over his head and caught her eye. She nodded and pulled Tucker a little closer.

"I'm going to see if I can find Dash."

"And I'm going to stay here." Sam added as Tucker tensed. "You'll be out of here in no time." She promised.

Danny reached out and pulled his friend into a tight hug, feeling relief that at least one person he cared about was all right before turning away and wandering off in search of Dash.

DI

Danny's heart was in his throat as he made his way down the brightly lit hallway. Yellow stripes lined the corridor, on the floor and walls, probably to make the hospital seem more inviting, to make it seem more like a place of healing and not of death and doom like Tucker claimed it was.

The yellow felt like false cheer though. He kept reminding himself of what the nurse said, kept reminding himself how doctors healed people but Tucker's paranoia kept running through his mind.

Halfway down the hall, in front of an equally yellow door that hurt his eyes to look at, stood a middle aged couple, both tall with blonde hair and well dressed, with a short, squat man in a doctors coat. They were talking in hushed voices but stopped and looked up when Danny approached.

He swallowed around a dry mouth and tried to ignore the way he was looked up and down.

"I'll just go and get the paperwork for you then." The doctor finished, gave Danny one last look and hurried off.

The couple turned their full attention on him and Danny knew instantly that Dash had gotten his clear blue eyes from his mother.

"Hi." He cleared his throat nervously and tried to glance in the small window of the room. He spotted a tuft of blonde hair and felt something in his chest clench. "I'm Danny Fenton, I'm friends with Dash and,"

"Dash isn't having _any_ visitors right now." Mr. Baxter interrupted.

"I was at the school and my friend,"

"He's in no condition to see anyone." The older man continued, voice firm.

Danny's spark of irritation fizzled out as he got a good look at Mrs. Baxter; her hand was playing absently with the necklace and while she was standing with them, it was evident that she wanted nothing more than to be in the room next to her sons bed. She looked _lost._ Danny kind of knew how that felt.

"The nurse said he would be okay, but I just- I need to know," Danny trailed off.

Mr. Baxter glanced over at his wife, something in his face softening a fraction before he turned back to Danny.

"Dash has bruised ribs, and they're going to do an x-ray for his wrist but he'll be all right."

It was the second person to tell him this but he still couldn't relax. His chest still felt too tight.

"Thanks." He mumbled, and slid the paper with the room number, now warm and crumpled from his hand, into his pocket where it sat heavy and a stark reminder.

"Come back tomorrow. They want to keep him for awhile for observation, I'm sure you'll be able to see him then." Mr. Baxter continued, eyes a shade too dark, studying him in a way that made him feel like he was entirely too obvious.

For once he couldn't care though.

Danny nodded and turned back down the hallway to the elevator. Maybe Tucker and Sam would still be there; maybe they could help this tightening in his chest.

DI

Danny had gone home with Sam and Tucker, had spent the afternoon when he should have been in math and gym, in Tuckers room playing cards and laughing and trying to _heal. _

He had phoned his own parents, reassured them that he was fine, Sam was fine and Tucker _would_ be fine.

Half an hour after his parents had gone to bed and he was sure they were asleep, he went ghost and left the house.

The tricky part was finding the right window. All of the windows against the concrete grey walls looked the same. Danny flew along the row of second story windows peering into darkened rooms looking for the tuft of blonde hair he had seen earlier.

The room was silent as he snuck in through the wall; save for the beeping of the heart monitor that he was sure was there just for show. Dash's parents weren't sitting next to the bed keeping vigil and a part of Danny was pleased with this, if only so he wouldn't have to explain his presence. He didn't need people questioning why Danny Phantom was visiting a quarterback.

Pale moonlight lit up parts of the room, casting the rest into shadows. The light fell across Dash's face making him seem pale and fragile and making the bruises stand out like smudges against his skin.

Danny didn't move, heart pounding in his chest, trying to break it's way out and let his eyes roam over Dash to finally reassure himself that the blonde was really all right.

Blue eyes stared back at him.

Danny jerked, surprised and a little panicked at being caught.

"Hey." Dash's voice was hoarse and he rubbed at his eyes.

"Hey." Danny probably didn't sound any better. He wanted to cross to the bed but his feet remained rooted to the linoleum floor four feet away.

Dash shifted in the bed, sitting up slightly and stared at Danny, studying him in a way similar to the way his father had hours before but with a hint more warmth and concern. The silence was beginning to feel suffocating but as he searched his mind for something to say, he came up short. Everything that came to mind sounded like something out of a bad romance novel or was too close to the truth for comfort.

"Get over here, will you?" Dash finally sighed, patting the bed with his good hand.

Danny was across the room instantly, hesitating next to the bed. Dash shifted over with a grunt and grimace of pain and he took the invitation clambering onto the bed next to the blonde.

They just barely fit on the tiny hospital bed, arms and sides pressed firmly together. Dash was a furnace against him and Danny greedily soaked up the contact, curling closer and tentatively reaching out to grasp Dash's hand.

"I thought I heard your voice earlier." Dash watched their joined hands with a small smile on his face. "When my parents were out in the hall with the doctor."

"They wouldn't let me in to see you." Danny whispered, turning his face so it was hidden in the crook of Dash's neck and breathed deeply.

"I knew you'd be back." Dash's thumb rubbed back and forth over his hand and it made him warm all over.

Danny opened his eyes, staring through the dim lighting and he could just make out dark bruises on Dash's neck. Anger flashed through him, quick and startling and he tensed. Someone had tried to strangle Dash. This was the _second _time that someone in that gang had laid their meaty hands on Dash and Danny hadn't done anything about it. That was going to change.

"It's not your fault." Dash tugged insistently on their joined hands but it was _weakly_ too.

It was; it was his fault that Dash had been hurt. It was his fault that they knew Dash Baxter was important to Danny Phantom.

"It's my fault they know you're important to Phantom." Guilt wracked through him chasing the fury.

"I'm important to you?" Danny tilted his head and could just make out Dash's smile widening, he couldn't tear his eyes from the sight. "Besides, I chose to step in that night in the park. And I don't regret it." Something about the way he said it had Danny's stomach twisting but in a good way; he felt lighter. Dash's hand tightened around Danny's and Danny squeezed back.

"I should go." Danny murmured but he couldn't bring himself to move. Dash pulled his hand until it was draped over the quarterback's waist, safely below his ribs and then awkwardly stretched, wincing all the while until he had an arm wrapped around Danny.

"You could stay." Dash whispered against his hair.

Danny smiled, something small and content and for the moment his anger was forgotten and the pressure in his chest lessened.

"I could stay." He agreed, closing his eyes.

DI

School wasn't closed the next day; in fact the teachers took the opportunity to call an assembly on safety.

Danny snuck away right before the assembly with Sam and Kwan to visit the hospital.

Mr. Baxter just gave him a knowing look when they slipped into the room and he tried to look like it was his first time seeing Dash, tried to look like he hadn't spent the night there, only leaving as the nurse was about to come in.

Dash grinned at him, a secretive smile that told him he was thinking about waking up to Danny untangling himself from where they had been wrapped tightly together.

But his good mood didn't last long.

In the light of the morning the bruises from the night before stood out starkly against pale skin. Both of Dash's eyes were black and there was an angry red mark on his cheek. The bruises Danny had spotted the night before on Dash's neck had formed into two dark hand prints and Dash shifted uncomfortably when he caught Sam and Kwan staring.

His wrist was in a cast and held close to his chest with a sling that blended in with the hospital gown he had been forced into.

He looked _fragile_.

Danny could feel his anger building, could feel it pounding in him. He tried to take deep breaths, tried to calm himself.

He listened carefully when the doctor came in, smiled along when he said that Dash could be released the next day.

But as the doctor began checking over the bruising, checking Dash's breathing, Danny needed to excuse himself.

He leaned back against the bright yellow stripe in the hall, arms crossed and eyes trained on the ceiling as he tried to focus on just breathing.

These guys had taken things too far, they had touched Dash, had _hurt_ Dash. They had _hurt_ Tucker.

They lurked around his school, thinking they were clever, thinking they were _better_ than everyone else. They thought they could do whatever they wanted. Someone needed to show them that they _couldn't_.

They wanted Phantoms attention?

They had it.

"Danny?"

He was startled from his thoughts as Sam slipped into the hall. She took one look at his face and settled against the wall next to him.

"Too much?" She guessed. Danny nodded. He couldn't bear to see the extent of the bruises, not right now, not when he was so close to snapping.

"Bruises fade, Danny." She said softly, leaning against him lightly.

"Memories don't."

"Yes they do." Sam nudged him lightly. "You can't tell me you remember everything that has happened this year perfectly. You'd be lying."

"I remember the night in the park." He said, eyes trained on the ceiling again. He remembered Moe, the gang leader and the look on his face, remembered the smell of his breath and remembered Dash standing there like an unlikely knight in shining armour.

"But do you remember what you were thinking? Do you remember how it felt to be cornered, how it felt to look up and see Dash?"

"What's your point?" Danny snapped, frustrated.

"In a month or two neither of you will remember what you're thinking right now, the feelings will fade, memories will start to blur. So whatever it is that you're thinking of doing right now, it may not seem like a good idea once you're less angry, once you're thinking clearly."

Danny pressed his lips together in a thin line; Sam was wrong, his anger was making him think clearer. The gang needed to be dealt with; they were just like all those ghosts he'd dealt with in the past. They were bullies, didn't belong, just hurt people and like the ghosts he would be the one to take care of it.

"Danny," Sam turned to face him, hand on his arm and it took everything he had not to shake her off. She was his best friend; she didn't deserve to have his anger directed at her. "Promise me you're not going to do something stupid. Let the police handle this one."

He met her eyes and then glanced over her shoulder at the bright yellow door. Dash was on the other side, sitting in a hospital bed. It was his fault that Dash had been targeted. His fault that Tucker had been targeted.

"I promise I won't do anything stupid."

It wouldn't be stupid. It would be the right thing to do.

DI

"Danny!"

He didn't bother to hide his surprise at who was calling out to him. After their break up he'd figured he'd just fall off the radar again and that Paulina would move onto some jock or something but he was proven wrong as she caught up with him.

"Paulina." He greeted hesitantly.

"How's Dash?" She asked with what seemed like genuine interest. Of course it was genuine interest, he mentally kicked himself, they were friends most of the time.

"How did you know I'd been to see Dash?" He asked. Maybe Kwan had mentioned it.

"I just knew you would." She smiled at him, eyes sparkling like she knew some great secret. Danny swallowed.

"He's going to be all right." Danny fell into step next to her as they made their way down the busy hall. "He has some bruised ribs and a broken wrist but it all looks worse than it actually is."

It didn't stop the anger that flashed through him every time Dash winced or tried to hide that he was hurting. His parents were taking him home later that afternoon and Danny had promised to stop by the next day, once his parents had decided he was settled and could have visitors again.

"He's bored." Danny continued, a small smile making it's way across his face as he thought of how Dash had conned Kwan into a wheel chair race when the nurses were distracted. "He seems to think he'll be back at school next week."

"That's good," Paulina paused in front of an open class room that other students were filing into. "I was really worried."

She turned to go and then paused again, turning back to Danny.

"How is Tucker?"

Danny blinked, surprised but answered anyways.

"He'll be back at school next week, he's just a little bruised but his parents are refusing to let him leave the house until then."

Paulina nodded and it seemed like she really cared too, not like she was asking as an after thought.

DI

He had been unable to pay attention in history, his mind had drifted and before he'd known it he'd been thinking about Dash and that led to thinking about the gang and by the end of the class he was slowly reaching his boiling point.

Maybe it was time to go out on patrol and find the gang before they could hurt anyone else.

He'd have to do it quietly, so Sam wouldn't find out.

A large bulky shape blocked his way down the hallway to the front doors.

"Well if it isn't the fairy."

Danny kept his head down, kept his anger in and focused on getting by Victor.

A hand shot out blocking his way again. A few people walked by but they avoided his eyes, too scared to get involved, worried about what Victor would do to them. That was fine, Danny could handle himself and he was sick and tired of people getting hurt because of him.

"I was looking all over for you yesterday." Victor continued.

Danny glanced up taking in the two looming figures standing behind Victor. He recognized them as hockey players that had once hung around Dash. It looked like they had found a new bully to worship.

He wasn't going to let Victor get to him, not this time. He turned around and made to go back the way he had come. Before he could take more than two steps though, a hand clamped down on his shoulder, hard, stopping him.

"I'm talking to you, freak." Victor leaned in close, trying to intimidate him with the height and weight difference. Victor was muscle from whatever football team he'd been on at his old school and he had a few inches on Danny. But it wasn't scary. Dash had done it all and he hadn't been scared then.

"And I'm not listening." Danny informed him, reached up and peeled his hand off while the bully was still shocked. Apparently he wasn't used to his victims talking back.

"Heard what happened to your boyfriend." Victor called after him and against his better judgment Danny found himself stopping to turn and look at the other teenager. "Everyone knows how Baxter got beat up like a pu-"

Danny's fist was stopped only because Kwan got there first.

Victor went sprawling backwards onto the dirty hallway floor, as the other two jocks jumped out of the way so they wouldn't get hit as well. They were staring at Kwan, probably wondering how he had snuck up on them and if they would be the next to be knocked to the floor.

Danny didn't even glance at Kwan, stepping forwards and kneeling down, getting close to Victor. He was _furious_ and Victor was glaring up providing an outlet.

"Don't ever touch me or my friends again." Danny dropped his voice so only Victor could hear. "Don't ever talk about Dash like that again. Because what Kwan did is _nothing_ compared to what _I _can do." It was a rush, the way Victor's eyes widened. Danny knew that something of his ghost side was probably showing through but he used it, let the fear sink into the bully and enjoyed it.

"You're not top dog at this school." He continued. "You'd better remember that."

"Let's go." Kwan dropped a hand onto his shoulder and Danny stood up and stepped away from the bully. He let Kwan lead the way down the hallway, only stopping once they were far enough away.

He felt sick.

What he'd just done, scaring Victor, threatening him, using his ghost side- it made him feel sick that he'd gotten a rush from it.

"You all right?" Kwan asked, leaning against the wall, watching Danny.

He straightened up and took a deep breath.

"Not really." He admitted, partly shocked that he had admitted it.

"Let me guess," Kwan glanced down the hall from where they had just come. "You're feeling angry, frustrated and you want to make someone hurt."

Danny nodded, open-mouthed.

Kwan grinned, self-depreciating and without humour and Danny had to wonder what happened to the easygoing football player.

"Dash's my best friend. I'd love to go kick some ass."

"That's how I feel." Danny agreed quickly, glad to find someone who was finally on his side.

"That's why I haven't."

"What?" Danny wasn't following the conversation anymore.

"If I ran out and beat up every guy that might or might not be in this gang, I'd be no better than them." He paused, looking like he was debating something. Danny just watched, surprised by this new side to the other teenager. "And I get the feeling you could take them all; but you don't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing they got to you, right?"

Danny blinked. How did Kwan…? Did he know that…? A million questions ran through his mind but he wasn't sure how to ask any of them.

"I guess not." He said instead.

DI

While it wasn't his first time to Dash's house, it was his first time there during the day, when he wasn't Phantom. And while it wasn't his first time meeting Dash's parents, it was just as awkward.

Mr. Baxter had him seated in the living room while they waited for Dash to come down. Mrs. Baxter had sat herself next to him on the couch and was staring at him with familiar blue eyes and quizzing him on his school and social life.

It felt strangely like he was picking Dash up for a date. Which he technically wasn't doing because they were just going to watch television in Dash's room.

But it didn't mean that he didn't want to. Pick Dash up for a date, or be picked up, or whatever. He blinked and tried to remember what Mrs. Baxter had asked him.

"Um, no- my prom date and I broke up so I don't have a date for prom right now." But he did have two tickets sitting at home on his dresser waiting to be used. If he ended up going to prom at all.

"Oh, what a shame, a nice boy like you," Mrs. Baxter smiled and patted his knee. "I'm sure there's someone just waiting for you to ask." Her eyes drifted to the stairs as she said this and Dash chose that moment to come jogging down the stairs, a very slow jog that looked painful as he kept his hurt wrist clutched close to his chest and his bruised ribs.

Danny bolted off the couch and met him before he could reach the bottom of the stairs to save him the rest of the trip down.

"Hey." Dash grinned at him, cheeks slightly red and looking incredibly pleased.

"Hey." Danny grinned back, probably just as dopey before remembering that Dash's parents were still sitting there watching them. "Uh- ready to go upstairs?" He asked, glancing over at the couple in the living room.

"Sure." Dash turned and led the way up the stairs and Danny tried not to stare but Dash's blue jeans fit him _really_ well. He swallowed hard and let himself be led to Dash's room.

It was the same as he remembered it, if not cleaner.

Danny watched as Dash turned on his computer and opened up a website, one handed.

"Have a seat on the bed." Dash called over his shoulder. "I found this really cool show I think you'll like."

Danny pushed himself back on the bed until he was seated with his back against the wall with his legs stretched out in front of him.

"So," Dash began, still typing away at the keyboard. "You and Paulina broke up?" He tried to sound nonchalant, tried to sound merely interested but Danny could hear the smile slip into his voice.

"Yeah, it wasn't really working out." Danny watched the back of Dash's head, trying to read his mind.

"Too bad." Dash tried for sincere but fell short. "Any particular reason?"

Danny was struck with the sudden realization that it really could be that easy. That maybe he could have this, that maybe he could be happy. He just had to say it, just had to cross that final distance.

But his heart was hammering in his chest and after everything it shouldn't have been as big a deal. Dash had already placed himself out there; it was Danny's turn.

"I'd rather be going to prom with this other person." Danny finally said.

Dash finished up at the computer, hit play and settled back onto the bed. After a moment of sitting pressed together, side by side, Dash reached out and grasped Danny's hand.

They watched the show about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost, holding hands and Danny felt giddy and alive all over. He leaned further into Dash, slipping until his head was resting on the quarterbacks shoulder. He felt warm and for the first time since the hospital his anger was fading and he could look at the bruises and just see Dash. The fury wasn't gone, just diminished for the moment.

"Dash," Danny cleared his throat as one episode ended and they waited for another to begin. Dash tilted his head to look at him; Dash who was actually kind of nerdy and who stood up for Danny and who found a ridiculous show about ghosts for Danny. He already knew the answer but his heart was still pounding. "Want to go to Prom with me?"

The smile that broke across Dash's face was beautiful.

"Thought you'd never ask, Fenton." He teased, the smile never fading.

Danny decided that he wanted to see the smile as often as possible.

Dash leaned forwards and Danny tilted his head and they met halfway, lips pressing together softly and then a little harder. Danny lifted his hand to thread through Dash's hair as he parted his lips and Dash's tongue slipped inside, mapping out Danny's mouth, and sucking on his tongue until his toes curled and he was panting pressed up against the blonde's side.

They parted, matching goofy grins, half their attention back on the show but hyperaware of each other.

Danny traced idle patterns on Dash's thigh with his other hand and watched as the ghost on the screen terrorized her fiancé, he heard Dash snort at the theatrics next to him and he realized that he may have just come up with a way to get back at the gang.


	11. Courage and Valour

Disclaimer: I've got to stop listening to the voices in my head- they keep telling me I don't own Danny or Dash :( Although...so does my sister...

A/N- Hi! *insert awkward wave* I'm back! And I'm soooooo sorry it's been so long, I've been stuck with this chapter...and writing in general- BUT! LOOK! A brand spanking new chapter! One that will hopefully make up for the insane amount of time it took me to post/write this? Anywho- you have no idea how much I love you all for reading and reviewing- I'm still in shock about the amount of reviews this fic has gotten! Sooooo hope you enjoy and I promise, even if I take a long time with posting (which I'm working on!) I'm not abandoning the story! Cause I love our boys too much! Enjoy! (And keep in mind that I finished this at 2 in the morning)

* * *

"This is a matter of life and death."

"I think you might be over exaggerating _just_ a bit."

"No- I'm not! This is huge and I'm not ready, I've got _nothing_!"

"Danny!"

Danny froze as a balled up shirt hit the back of his head, bouncing off and landing somewhere in the mountain sized pile of clothes that currently littered his floor.

"Stop freaking out." Sam instructed from her perch on his chair. She looked amused and maybe a little exasperated and the camera dangling loosely in her grip _had not_ been there when they had first started their search, he checked the clock quickly, an hour ago.

"But I literally don't have _anything_ to wear!" And yeah, that was probably his fault and the fact that he tended to avoid doing laundry and just re wore clothes until they were stained or smelt weird. But.

"You sound like a girl." Tucker snorted. He sat, half buried under a pile of dubiously clean shirts on the floor. As the silence stretched on after his comment he cast Sam a quick, nervous glance with a hasty, "No offence."

"None taken."

Tucker relaxed again which proved to be a fatal mistake as Sam reached out and swatted the back of his head. His glasses slid down the bridge of his nose and his hat sat askew and Sam quickly snapped a picture, sitting back with a smug air of superiority.

Danny sighed and grinned, enjoying his friend's antics for a moment before sobering as he realized he was no closer to solving his problem than before. He grabbed a rumbled green shirt from the pile and held it up, inspecting it and trying to smooth out the wrinkles but it seemed futile.

"This is ridiculous." Sam huffed and stood from her perch, rooting through the pile surrounding Tucker until she cried out triumphantly. "Here!"

Danny caught the shirt tossed to him, holding it at an arms length.

"This?" It was a plain black t-shirt; one that if he remembered correctly was already a size too small on him. He'd been meaning to get rid of it but it had been shifted to the pile at the bottom of his closet and he had quickly forgotten about it.

"Yeah." Sam grinned at him, bearing a set of white, straight teeth. He couldn't help but suspect that she knew that it was small on him and had chosen it for that reason.

The doorbell rang, loud and startling and he was out of time anyways.

Things like modesty and shyness had become a moot point around his friends years ago so he had no problems changing shirts. He quickly shed his white shirt and pulled the black one on, smoothing down the sides nervously.

"Okay," He ran a hand through his hair and tried to hide his nerves. "How do I look?"

"Great." Sam gave him a mischievous smile and then snapped a picture before he could protest.

"Isn't his shirt kind of small?" Tucker asked with a slight frown and Sam rolled her eyes.

"That's the point."

"Oh." Tucker didn't look convinced but he shrugged and gave thumbs up anyways.

"Wish me luck." He grabbed his wallet off his desk, stuffing it into his back pocket and headed for the door as his mothers voice floated up the stairs, calling for him to come down and greet their guest.

"Danny!" Sam called out before he could make it out of the room. He froze turning to face her with growing trepidation. Was there a hole in the back of the shirt or something? If he had to get changed again he was doomed. "Socks." She reminded, tossing a pair of balled up, hopefully clean socks. Danny grinned, leaning against the doorframe to pull them on and a pair of sneakers he kept sitting in his room. "Good luck!" She called after him as he finally managed to escape the room.

His palms were sweaty and his stomach was in knots. He felt light headed as he walked, _rushed_, down the stairs. And he didn't know what he was expecting, whether it be some insane revelation or a mob or whatever at the bottom of the stairs but Dash's grinning face was so much better.

DI

"We're going here?" Danny asked, surprised as Dash turned the red convertible into the parking lot of a familiar Italian restaurant.

"Yeah," Dash turned off the engine and shifted in his seat to look at him. "Is it okay?"

Danny felt a small smile creep across his face and some of the knots in his stomach loosen. It was familiar and it took some of the pressure off.

"It's great." He undid his seatbelt and slid out of the car, letting Dash catch up and then they walked to the doors, shoulders brushing with each step.

Dash reached around him, grabbing the door handle before Danny could and held it open for him with a raised eyebrow and an over exaggerated gesture. His grin widened as he stepped into the warm building, and with the smell of delicious food and Dash a warm presence at his side he wasn't really sure what he had been so worried about before.

They were seated at a table next to a window, something romantic and secluded, he realized with a start. The lighting above them was low and intimate, the table cloth white and napkins red and for one crazy moment he was sure that a waiter was going to show up and light some candles for them.

And while they were going to prom together, he wasn't really sure what this dinner meant. They had said it was to celebrate the fact that Dash was back to school on Monday but what else?

Was this,

"Is this a date?" Danny asked abruptly over his menu.

Dash's head shot up, blue eyes wide and startled and Danny blushed under the sudden attention.

"I," Dash started, frowned and then glanced out the window. Danny wondered if whatever he was looking at held the answers to it all. A slow, serene smile played across the quarterbacks face and Danny watched entranced by the beautiful sight. "Yeah. Yeah I think it is- if you want it to be."

The last bit was said with hesitation and Danny rushed to erase any doubt from the blondes mind.

"I do." He said, blush deepening to the point where he had to look away and burry his face back in his menu until, "Have we been dating all along?" He asked suddenly, menu coming to rest on the table.

Dash blinked and then Danny had to laugh because now the blonde was blushing and it just made his blue eyes stand out even more. Apparently they _had_ been dating all along and he had been the last to find out. And he couldn't say that he was upset about this at all, except perhaps that everyone else knew _before_ him.

DI

Danny unlocked his locker quickly, stuffing his bag inside and rummaging for the textbooks he would need for his next class. He blinked realizing that he was staring blankly at the books before him, mind a million miles away. A locker slammed near by and he jumped, grabbing the books and closing his own locker.

With his books clutched to his chest he glanced down the hall, trying to appear like he wasn't anxiously awaiting someone's arrival. He tried leaning against the metal locker, tried pretending that he was texting, he even tried flipping open one of the texts like he was fascinated by the topic but all in all he was pretty sure he was no where near as nonchalant as he wanted.

His stomach was in knots and his chest felt tight and a large part of him was telling him to just go home and have a sick day.

"Hey."

Danny jerked in surprise and looked up to meet blue eyes. He opened and closed his mouth, mind suddenly blank as he tried to think up a greeting that was _suave_ and _calm_ and pretty much everything he was not.

"Hey." He found himself parroting back.

Dash offered a small, hesitant smile and his hand made a strange jerky movement, like he'd been about to reach out and touch Danny but had stopped himself.

"We don't have to do this, you know." Dash's smile was strained and fading as he watched. It would be easier to just leave things the way they were, small and secret; this was huge and –it felt- much bigger than Danny. But even though his heart was hammering in his chest and he felt like he couldn't breathe, and though he knew things would never be easier, never be the same, he couldn't back down now. Not when he finally had what he wanted.

"But I want to." Danny said firmly.

He shifted his textbooks in his grip so they were tucked under his left arm and with his right he reached out, tentatively tangling their hands together.

Dash's smile brightened, wide and wonderful, lighting up his blue eyes. He returned the grip, squeezing gently, reassuringly.

"So," Danny said, voice a little rough and stomach still twisting nervously but maybe a little less so than before. "Wanna walk me to class?"

"Sure."

His legs felt like jelly and the first step was the hardest but it got easier.

The hall was crowded with students and teachers all milling about, taking their time before the first bell rang. No one really noticed at first, they were just two students walking down the hall- not the first time they'd been seen together. But Danny could feel the gazes and could hear the confused, incredulous whispers as the first few people caught on.

It wasn't far to his class. The first bell rang and people began moving towards their respective rooms and looked and then looked again probably certain that they were seeing things. His face was flaming by the time they reached the door but he felt different- _stronger_ maybe.

But it all felt a little anti climatic.

"Everyone will probably know by lunch." Dash joked, still holding his hand, but looking a little nervous. Like Danny was suddenly going to change his mind.

And if he was honest he was more than a little terrified of the thought. There was no way to go back now. But he didn't want to- he told himself firmly.

The second bell rang and the halls started to clear as students rushed, Dash needed to get going or he was going to be late for class but it felt like his feet were glued to the floor, felt like he didn't want to go anywhere.

"Hey," Sam appeared next to them, grin knowing and wide and grasped his arm lightly. "We need to sit down."

"Right." Danny nodded reluctantly. He turned back to Dash. Did they hug? Did they kiss? They hadn't kissed since they had made it official and Danny wanted to more than anything. But. Maybe standing in the hallway wasn't the best place for it.

Dash seemed to read his mind because he smirked and reached out, pulling Danny into a quick hug before stepping back. The space between them felt different, felt _charged_.

Sam squeezed his arm and stopped any thoughts of dragging Dash off to a janitors closet and skipping class.

"I'll see you at lunch." Dash said, blue eyes darkening with promise.

Danny grinned and let Sam drag him into the class. There were whispers but he ignored them, too happy to care what anyone said at that moment.

DI

"Hey fairy!" The danger of getting to gym class was that to actually get there, one had to go through a rarely used hallway. Only the students heading to the class and one teacher used it and said teacher rarely ever left the gym during the day.

Sam bristled next to him and Tucker's grin faded from his face, replaced with a decidedly nervous expression. Tucker had been jumping at the slightest sign of confrontation since his return to the school and each flinch he tried to hide made Danny sick.

"Ignore him." Danny muttered as Sam started to turn and tell the jock exactly what she thought of him.

Danny had been lucky- he'd had a brief respite from the bully, longer than he'd thought he would have. Some people just didn't learn- even when you showed them the side of yourself that would have most _sane_ people running in fear.

"How many more weeks left of school?" Sam asked voice pitched low.

"Five." Tucker replied quickly, before he realized what she meant. Danny grinned and shook his head, his hair falling into his face with the action.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" A hand landed, heavy and unwelcome on his shoulder. The weight of it should have had his knees buckling but he was finished with Victor pushing them all around. So he stood straight and shook off the hand with ease.

"You don't learn do you?" It was a redundant question and the jock seemed to at least realize that as he crowded into Danny's space. A few of the hockey players were hovering behind him, looking ready for some kind of fight. Tucker took a small step backwards, tense and nervous and Sam placed a reassuring hand on his arm. It looked like if any of them went after Tucker they would have to go through Sam first.

"I don't know how you did that trick with your eyes and stuff," Victor's eyes flickered over Danny like he was about to change into a monster before his eyes. Maybe he should. Maybe he was tired of hiding who he was. "But I'm not falling for it and I'm not afraid of some little _queer_."

Danny blinked and Victor smirked, pleased with himself. But.

"That's it?" Danny asked and a slow smile spread across his face, growing wider by the second. "That's all you've got? I got worse for years from Dash Baxter and the football team and that's _all_ you can come up with?" Laughter escaped him and once it had started he couldn't stop it. Between peals of laughter he managed to get out, "And now I'm _dating_ Dash- you've got _nothing _on him." He wasn't sure what he had been so afraid of this morning. Years of being bullied had left scars- there was no denying it, but at the same time it had unintentionally prepared him for this. He wasn't ashamed of who he was and the realization was freeing.

"You can't touch me." Danny grinned, he dropped his voice and leaned in closer like he was sharing a secret and in a sense he was. "You have _no idea_ what I can do to you."

Victor shifted; eyes flickering over Danny's face like he was searching for the lie, but Danny could see he was nervous. Where anger hadn't worked the first time with the bully, apparently this carefree statement, the simple fact, was enough to make him doubt exactly who had the power.

Something flickered over the bully's face though and Danny caught it with a sinking feeling as his eyes drifted over Danny's shoulder and then to his friends at his side.

"You can't be with them all the time." The smug tone to his voice had Danny clenching his hands into fists.

"He doesn't need to be." Sam crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow. "I carry mace. Everywhere. And I've really been wanting to try it on someone." And if Danny were in Victor's position, he'd be more worried about Sam's right hook than the mace attached to her key chain that her parents forced her to carry.

"You don't want to start anything." Danny told him, feeling some of the previous courage returning- Sam and Tucker had been bullied too, they'd been through everything he had and if he could take whatever Victor threw at him, then he couldn't doubt that they would.

"You should probably get to class." Danny didn't jump at the new voice from behind them but he couldn't hide his grin as some of the hockey players did. They cast wary looks at each other and then at Victor, probably trying to decide if it was worth getting into a fight with Dash Baxter over a couple of nerds.

Logic apparently won out as they turned and headed to their respective classes, Victor shooting them all one last look, eyes lingering on Danny- and with some of the doubt and fear returning to his expression- following suit.

"I thought you were excused from gym." Danny turned to Dash- to his _boyfriend_ and took in the slight frown marring his features. Paulina stood silently at his shoulder, glaring with distaste after Victor. Danny's lips quirked down and he reached out, relieved when Dash didn't flinch away as he grasped his hand. "What's wrong?"

"I was a complete asshole to you guys for years," Dash's gaze flickered over Sam and Tucker littered with guilt. "I just- I don't know why you've…forgiven me."

For a moment he was sure Tucker was going to open his mouth and say something about _not_ forgiving the quarterback. But his friend didn't say anything, just kept watching Dash with a mixture of emotion Danny couldn't quite place, but if he had to guess- he would say _understanding_.

"I don't think about it too much." Danny tried to explain. "That was the old Dash Baxter." He squeezed the hand in his and smiled at him. "I'm pretty fond of the new one."

Sam rolled her eyes but he ignored her because the grateful smile Dash sent him was beautiful.

DI

Sam wanted to talk about something. He could tell by the way she kept darting glances at him throughout gym and lunch, which in of itself was rather anticlimactic. A few people stopped and stared but most seemed to realize that not much had changed. No one stood up and clapped or threw garbage or really paid more attention to anything other than their food and their own social life.

They did get a few smiles and a cat call from Kwan but it was all so…normal.

"Hey." Sam cornered him as the final bell rang, flanked by Tucker. She was frowning, but didn't appear angry so Danny counted that as a point for him.

"What's up?" He asked, unlocking his locker and shoving his books unceremoniously inside. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he grinned because it could really only be one person. His stomach twisted pleasantly at the thought.

"Can you hang out tonight?" Sam asked, leaning on the locker door next to his.

Part of him wanted to say, a _large_ part of him that just wanted to go and hang out with Dash- but he was pretty sure the blonde had plans with Kwan. He hadn't hung out with Sam and Tucker in too long anyways and he missed spending time outside of school with them. Even if he had the feeling they were going to have some sort of unpleasant conversation.

"Sure."

DI

Sam's parents had guests over when they got there, so they had headed straight up to her room. Tucker had spotted one of the guests; eyes going wide and had tried to stay downstairs but in the end Danny and Sam had managed to drag him up the stairs.

"Do you know who that was?" Tucker demanded, glasses slipping down his nose. His voice took on a note of awe as he stared down at the floor as though he could see through it if he looked hard enough. "That was Halle Berry!"

"It was not." Danny looked at the floor uncertainly. It wouldn't be too hard to just go ghost and find out for sure but he didn't think Sam's parents would have Halle Berry over for coffee.

"Was so!" Even if it was Sam's parents.

"It couldn't be."

They both looked over at Sam for answers but she just shrugged, turned on the radio and sunk down onto her bed.

"It's probably just some visiting diplomat." She kicked her boots off and sighed, rubbing a hand over her face before turning her gaze on Danny. "Alright- spill."

"What?" He asked, caught off guard.

Tucker settled in the over stuffed chair across the room, legs crossed and looking ready for Danny to tell them something amazing. Somehow, he got the feeling that he was missing something.

"Victor was actually kind of afraid of you today, so what happened?" Sam demanded, amusement slowly creeping over her face. "You did something and didn't tell us, so what was it?"

Danny grinned and ducked his head.

"I knew it!" Tucker crowed triumphantly from his seat. "Did you prank him or something?"

Sam snorted and shook her head. "It was something else. Something different than what you tried when Dash was the bully."

Danny winced a little at the comparison but it wasn't too bad. Those memories felt different than how they had felt at the beginning of the year. They were faded, didn't hold the same hurt- almost felt like they had happened to someone else.

"I lost my temper." Danny admitted, settling onto the bed next to Sam and grabbing one of her pillows to fiddle with. "And some of Phantom slipped out. Nothing major, just my eyes, maybe a little more."

"Huh." Sam said eloquently. They sat there for a moment, thinking about what it meant. Then a mischievous smile broke out across Sam's face and they began to chuckle, starting out small and building until the three of them were bursting with laughter.

"How did you find out?" Danny finally asked.

"I saw him today," Sam reminded him. "But Kwan mentioned something as well."

"Kwan?" Danny asked, surprised. Kwan had been there but he'd been sure that he hadn't seen anything.

"Yeah, I think he knows, or at least suspects." Sam admitted, uncertainty colouring her voice. "Is that okay?"

Was it okay? Another person that may know his secret, that much closer to being exposed; but he found he didn't really mind. He may not really know the jock all that well but it was clear Sam did and he wanted to get to know him because of that. Something told him that Kwan would keep the secret.

"It's fine." He squared his shoulders and decided that if they were going to be sharing then he might as well tell them about his idea. "I think I have an idea to deal with the gang."

"Danny," Sam started to protest but he interrupted her.

"No, listen. I'm not going to…hurt them or anything. But they're just going to keep coming until we take care of them. And you know it has to be us. There's no one else."

"The police could." She didn't sound as certain though.

"When they got out of jail they'd come right back looking for revenge." Tucker spoke up, frowning.

"Right. So we have to do something that will keep them from coming back. We have to _scare_ _them off_." Danny grinned as understanding spread across their features. "And Phantom can do that."

Sam frowned lightly, biting at her thumbnail. "We need to be smarter than them. Phantom just showing up won't scare them off for good."

"Any ideas?" Danny asked. Aside from the original idea he didn't have much else worked out. He'd been planning on using part of the script from the television show. Sam shrugged and frowned harder but Tucker grinned suddenly and sat forwards.

"I have a few."

DI

"Hey." Danny was startled out of his daydream by the sudden appearance of another person at his previously empty table. The library was normally fairly empty at this time of day so Danny had his pick of tables, stealing one near the back and by a window. His homework was spread out in front of him, but underneath was a book on ghosts and a note pad full of half finished ideas. Between Tucker, Sam and himself it was beginning to look like they had a plan.

"Hey." He replied, trying to discretely toss a piece of math homework on his ghost notes as Kwan took the seat across from him. The football player quirked an eyebrow at it but otherwise chose to ignore the strange behaviour. "What's up?"

"I need to ask you something." Kwan glanced awkwardly around the library, as though looking for anyone who might be listening in. But Danny had chosen the corner for a reason and no one was anywhere near their table; he highly doubted that the four other people in the room had hearing that could pick up their conversation from that far away.

Regardless, Kwan dropped his voice even lower until he was whispering and leaned forwards.

Danny was suddenly very worried he knew what the conversation was going to be about.

"Do you know if Sam is going with anyone to Prom. Like Tucker?"

Or maybe he hadn't known.

"Uh," He opened his mouth, confused and then amused and made a mental note to mention the Tucker comment to his friends later just to see the looks on their faces. But Kwan was still waiting for an answer. He grinned. "No, she doesn't have a date. And she and Tucker are just friends."

Kwan slumped back in his seat, tension draining out of him and offering a wide smile.

"Awesome. I got an extra ticket just in case, you know, I managed to work up the nerve to ask her. I mean, we've been planning together and I really like her- but you can't tell her, okay? I want it to be a surprise."

"I promise I wont tell her." Danny grinned, then leaned forwards, arms crossed on the table. "What have you guys been planning?"

Kwan looked confused for a moment and then his eyes widened as though he was only just realizing his slip up.

"Nothing!" He stood hastily, trying for an easy going smile and failing. "Absolutely nothing- just don't tell anyone about what we talked about, okay? Thanks!"

Danny watched, amused and curious as the football player hightailed it out of the library. He grinned to himself and went back to his research.

DI

An hour later Danny was still in the library, searching the dusty shelves hidden at the back for the books on the supernatural that the school denied knowing they even had.

He reached up, stretching for one of the books and wondering if it just wouldn't be easier to _cheat_ and use his powers, when the book slipped, sliding past his hand and heading for the floor.

Only to be caught by Dash.

Danny found himself grinning as he accepted the book from the quarterback, but instead of heading back to his table, somewhere back in the main section of the library he leaned against one of the dusty shelves and decided to enjoy this brief moment of one on one time with his boyfriend. He grinned wider at the thought.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Dash asked, stepping closer with a matching grin.

"Just thinking." Danny set the book on a bare section of shelf and reached out for Dash's hand to pull him closer. He was feeling brave, feeling daring and his blood was singing through his veins. "About how no one _ever_ comes back here."

"_Oh._" Dash smirked and glanced over his shoulder, probably realizing that they were a long way away from the front desk and tables and that no one could see them unless they went looking for them. "I was looking for you to see if you wanted to go see a movie or something but if you're _busy_…"

Danny laughed and tugged him back when he half turned to leave and suddenly found himself trapped between the shelves and Dash's broad chest. The laughter died in his throat as the heat from Dash's body hit him. One large hand came up to cup his cheek and the other settled on his hip and then Dash was kissing him, lightly at first, then more insistently.

He groaned and opened his mouth as Dash swiped his tongue along the seam of his lips. His hands came up to fist in the dark material of Dash's shirt as the blonde licked into his mouth, tongue against his, sucking and Danny gave as good as he got.

Heat shot through him as Dash's hips bumped his own and he gasped into the kiss. His hips stuttered forwards and Dash pressed open-mouthed kisses to his lips, his cheek, and his jaw, down to his neck where he sucked and bit until Danny was sure there was going to be a mark.

His head fell back against the shelf and his hips bucked forwards again, Dash's hand sliding from his hip to cup his ass and pull them closer together. Danny brought his hands up, sliding under Dash's t-shirt and letterman jacket to the warm skin hidden there; he skimmed blunt nails down Dash's back, grinning at the shudder it evoked from the blonde.

Dash's lips found his again and his head was spinning from it all. It was all too easy to get lost in Dash- to forget that they were in the school, to forget about the problems that seemed intent to take over their lives. And he wasn't fighting it this time, he let himself be pulled under, lost in it all. His skin sang, humming with _something_ and he grinned again despite himself. He could feel Dash's answering grin and they pulled back, foreheads pressed together and lips almost close enough to touch.

"There's a movie playing in German downtown." Dash sounded wonderfully out of breath and Danny laughed lightly.

"You speak German?"

"Nope." Heat pooled low in his belly at the look in Dash's eyes, darkened and pupils blown wide. "Do you?"

"Nope." They grinned, lips meeting again, slower this time but with no less heat. "But I'm up for learning."


	12. Courage is to face fear and keep going

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own. Damn.

A/N- HI! LOOK! I'M BACK! And I come bearing a brand new chapter! (Which is kind of amazing since Bandom has taken over my life and eaten my brain... but it was kind enough to let these boys resurface and have their say.) Thank you guys so much for the reviews and for being patient with me, you have no idea how much it means to me! Soooo I present this brand new chapter for your reading pleasures. And boys getting hot and heavy, say what? *looks innocent* Enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

"Don't you have female friends for this?"

Sam shot him a quick glare over her shoulder and reached randomly into a rack, pulling yet another dress out and tossing it at him. He caught it completely by luck, the pile in his arms already close to blinding him. He kept a wary eye on the staircase to their left, having visions of tripping over one of the dresses, unable to see and plummeting to an untimely death. And wouldn't that be humiliating?

Death by prom dress.

He shuddered at the thought and followed after Sam as she grabbed two more with a frown and a sigh- somehow he didn't think she had much more idea of what they were doing than he did.

The sales lady kept eyeing them as they made their way through the store like they were about to take off with the dresses or something.

"That's what I have you for." Sam smiled sweetly and then threw another dress at him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" The sales lady finally gathered the courage to approach them; a look of superiority gracing what would normally be pretty features and giving off a disapproving air. Danny had never felt more awkward in his sneakers and jeans.

"Just a change room please." Sam barely glanced over, eyeing a short pink cocktail dress that was mostly ruffles with obvious disdain.

"For _all_ of these?" The sales lady asked, perfect eyebrow arched. "Wouldn't you rather try one of these?" She gestured to the clearance section across the store and Sam snorted, rolled her eyes and produced a black card with the stores name written in slender silver writing across it.

"No." She said, smirking at the look of shock that passed over the sales ladies features. "These are good."

Danny handed over the mountain of dresses and watched as the sales lady hurried off to start a change room.

"What was that?" He asked.

Sam just shrugged though a smile was tugging at her lips.

"My mom shops here." She said, before grabbing his arm and pulling him across the room. "Let's find you a tux."

"Sam," He spluttered and tried to stand his ground but her grip was unrelenting and soon he found himself across the store, standing obediently still so Sam could hold up tuxedos to his wiry frame. "I can't _afford_ this store."

"You can with my mothers store credit." She said discarding one tux for another. The sales lady was back to eyeing them, this time with open confusion.

"I'm not taking your money."

"Danny," Sam rolled her eyes and handed him four tuxedos. For all she claimed to not know, or care, anything about fashion, it appeared that something had inevitably rubbed off living with her parents. "My parents are so excited that I actually have some interest in prom that they're throwing money at me to pay for you and Tucker and a limo. Not to mention that they're pushing for some fancy dinner at a restaurant for all our families," She frowned and led the way to the changing rooms. "I'm working on getting out of that."

"Still." Danny said, uncomfortable.

"Danny, shut up and go try on the tux." Sam tossed the clothing at him and headed into the dressing room next to his. "The faster we get through this, the faster we can go check out the occult store we passed earlier. My parents will _love_ that." He couldn't see her smirk but he could definitely hear it.

It took him a few minutes to figure out the first one and that turned out to be too long in the legs, the next to wide in the shoulders. He tried the third one; decided it wasn't completely horrible or about to choke him and wandered out of his change room to see what Sam thought.

"Just a second!" Sam called, followed by a string of angry muttering.

Danny took the time to inspect himself critically in the mirror. Normally when he had to wear a tux to something (and it was few and far between) the suit was too big or hung weird or on one occasion smelt suspiciously- and hadn't _that_ gained him a few odd looks. But, though it was hard to admit, he didn't look half bad.

A low whistle distracted him and he glanced up, catching Sam's reflection in the mirror as she grinned at him.

"Dash is going to be one happy guy." She informed him, coming forwards to tug on the jacket a bit, adjusting it. It wasn't stiff and uncomfortable like he'd thought it would be either.

"It doesn't completely suck." He allowed and Sam rolled her eyes.

"Okay," She said, stepping back and spreading her arms. "What do you think?"

Danny stared openly and Sam glared, shifting.

"It can't look that bad."

"It looks amazing." He told her truthfully. The red dress fell just past her knees, tight in the torso and loose when it reached her hips. It had a scoop neck line, coming up around her neck and an open back.

"Thanks," she grinned, spinning. "Its kind of bright, but I guess it means my parents can't bug me about it."

"And," Danny continued, innocently. "I'm pretty sure that's Kwan's favourite colour."

Sam's cheeks coloured a little and she disappeared back into her changing room, calling over her shoulder,

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

DI

"Danny?"

They were in the food court, bags on the chair next to them and halfway through their burgers when someone called out his name. He glanced up, scanning the busy area, before spotting the pair headed their way.

"Don't make eye contact." Sam hissed, eyeing the pair warily before ducking back down like her burger was suddenly the most interesting thing she had ever seen.

"Danny! Hi!" Paulina arrived at their table, smiling, if not somewhat hesitantly, at them. She cast Sam a quick glance but the normal disdain was missing. Sam seemed to notice this as well, confusion flickering across her features before she schooled them.

"Hi," he greeted. Valerie pulled out her phone, ignoring them all in favour of texting and giving off an air that clearly said she was only there because she had to be.

"I was wondering if I could ask you something." Paulina dropped into the empty chair next to Sam, leaning forwards eagerly.

"Uh," he exchanged a look with Sam, who just shrugged. "Sure."

"I hope you don't mind, but I was just wondering if anyone had asked Tucker to prom?"

"Tucker?" Danny repeated, surprised. Sam was just as surprised if her expression was anything to go by.

Paulina nodded and reached across the table to grasp his hand.

"If it's okay, I know it may be weird."

"Not in the way you think." He muttered and Sam's lips quirked into an almost grin. "But, no one's asked him."

Paulina brightened visibly and pulled her hand back, smiling at him and for a moment he was reminded why he had been so anxious to date her for years. But it was dulled and nothing compared to what he had now.

"I thought you were going to go with a jock or someone." Danny admitted.

"Most of the jocks are jerks," Paulina shrugged delicately and rose to her feet, gathering her purse. "You got one of the good ones." She said with a wink and a smile and left, Valerie in tow.

"Any idea what just happened?" Sam asked, watching them go.

"I think that there may be a rip in the universe." Danny said sagely, grinning when Sam threw a French fry at him.

DI

His mother managed to get to the door before him through sheer force of will; he'd been waiting in the living room since he'd gotten home from school and the moment he'd gotten up to get a drink, the door bell had _finally_ rung- five minutes early no less- and his mother had somehow appeared at the door like _she'd_ been the one stalking it. Considering his parents, he wouldn't put it past them.

"Dash." She greeted cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Great, Mrs. Fenton," he replied with a smile. His gaze slid past her to Danny and widened. Danny grinned back, warm.

"Come on in," she stepped back to let the quarterback in. "I was just on my way out to meet Danny's father- we have a _date_."

She winked and disappeared into the kitchen to find her purse. Danny wasn't quite sure what to make of the weekly dates his parents had taken to, but it got them out of the house and they honestly seemed happier for it so he wasn't about to complain.

"What do you want to watch?" Danny asked.

"I brought Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." Dash pulled out the case, waving it.

Danny's mother wandered back in told them they would be back by nine and to have fun and then left and Danny locked the front door after her.

"So, movie?" He turned around and Dash jerked his gaze back up from where it had been drifting lower, cheeks colouring.

"Sure."

He let it slide, grinning to himself as he put the movie in.

Danny considered making popcorn but he figured if they actually wanted it they could always make it later. His stomach was twisting with something like anticipation and he'd never be able to eat at that rate. He settled down on the couch next to Dash and was struck by the memory of the last time they were on the couch; he felt his face heat but Dash didn't seem to notice.

Shortly into the movie Dash shifted and Danny glanced over at him, curious, but a hesitant arm came up and around his shoulders and Danny flushed with warmth, shifting closer to the blonde with a small grin, his heart pounding in his chest. Dash was like a furnace, heat pressed all along his side and distracting him.

He wasn't quite sure how it happened but eventually they stopped paying attention to the movie altogether. He felt nervous, excited and giddy, skin tingling every time Dash shifted. His gaze kept drifting from the screen to the blonde next to him and though he wasn't sure how to initiate what he wanted, it became obvious that he wasn't the only one having trouble focusing on the movie when Dash met his gaze.

He didn't know what to say so he let the silence speak for himself and held the gaze, long past the point of comfort, making it feel charged.

Dash's eyes were dark, even though the lights were on, blinds shut. He licked his lips and Danny followed the movement, mouth dry and head dizzy.

"Can I," Dash started to ask and Danny nodded quickly. Yes, he thought, yes to whatever Dash was asking. Anything.

Dash ducked his head down, hot breath puffing against Danny's mouth; nose bumping his lightly and Danny sucked in a sharp breath and didn't think, just closed the distance between them.

Their lips met, easy and slow like they had been doing this forever. It grew hotter, deeper and they pressed closer. The world titled but he barely noticed as his back hit the couch cushions, moaning high and needy, something he'd deny later, and shifting until he was sprawled on the cushions with Dash settled above him, holding part of his weight with an arm braced next to Danny's head.

His skin felt too tight and heat pooled low in his stomach. He was hot all over and desperate for more, hands moving of their own accord to grip the back of Dash's thin shirt, tugging asking for more.

It was great, it was amazing, Dash licking into his mouth, sucking on his tongue- their chests pressed together and every time they shifted he could feel it all over- but it still wasn't enough. His jeans were too tight, he was hard and the realization just made him blush harder.

He couldn't help it, his hips bucked up, grinding- he was a teenager, infomercials could turn him on but this was Dash, who was all flushed, strong muscles and piercing blue eyes and everything he hadn't even known he'd wanted. They broke the kiss, a broken moan escaping him and they froze, breath panting against each other's lips. They should stop now, stop before they went too far but. But Danny wanted, wanted so much he could taste it- wanted Dash to press him down, to taste him, to reach down and grip him and it terrified and exhilarated him.

And then Dash, staring down at Danny like he was thinking the exact same thing, ground down, carefully and Danny could feel his erection through two layers of jeans- just as hard as he was, and all the fears and thoughts stopped mattering.

"More," he whispered, but it came out as a whimper as Dash shifted his weight and brought his hand down to rub Danny through his jeans. He gripped the back of Dash's shirt tighter, shifting his hips as Dash stroked the outline of his erection, steady, intense gaze watching Danny.

His heart was pounding in his chest, desperate to escape; he couldn't believe they were doing this- he couldn't believe they hadn't done this sooner.

Dash let out a frustrated grunt and pulled his hand away and Danny eyes flew open- he hadn't even realized he'd closed them- suddenly terrified he'd done something wrong. Dash sat back and in a quick, smooth move tugged off his shirt and Danny's brain, hazy and scrambled, caught up with the moment and he squirmed, pulling off his own shirt. And then Dash was back, settling his weight down fully and he was heavy but it felt good to have him press him down into the cushions, to feel the heat pouring off him in a steady wave.

He arched up, kissing the blonde again, because he could, because it was something he knew how to do so out of depth here and Dash kissed back harder and ground down again. Pleasure curled its way through him and he gasped into the kiss and arched up.

It was all so much, too much and he could feel the tension coiling in him as Dash ground against him again and again and Danny tried to match the pace, messy and awkward but perfect.

He was close, so close he could taste it, frustration seeping in when he couldn't get there. He brought one leg up and then the other, wrapping them around Dash's waist, his hands on his shoulders trying to tug him closer, harder, _anything_.

And Dash took the hint, grinding down harder, pushing Danny further into the cushions with each thrust and Danny thought about doing this with a bed and a lot less clothing and what it would feel like for Dash to be above him, in him and he jerked, coming before he even realized he was there.

Danny broke off the kiss, panting harshly as it surged through him, washed over him like a wave, his cock pulsing in his boxers and Dash kept thrusting through it, desperate. He ground harder and Danny managed to open heavy eyes as Dash stilled suddenly, groaning low and near silent and he realized as he stared up, watching Dash's brow furrow and mouth fall open in an 'o' that he this was what he looked like when he came. The surprised spark of heat it sent through him had him biting his lip to stop the needy sound that tried to escape.

Dash, arms shaking with the strain of holding himself up, titled sideways, settling between the back of the couch and half on Danny in the tiny space.

His skin felt cool and prickly, except where Dash's heat pressed hot- almost too hot- against his side. His boxers and jeans felt damp and uncomfortable. But there was no way he would even think of moving, even with the awkward silence threatening to settle in on them, he was content, comfortable and not moving for the world. But Dash wasn't saying anything and doubt kept trying to creep in with what ifs and the realization that he'd just- done what exactly? Had sex with his boyfriend on his living room couch? What if his parents figured it out?

"My jeans are gross." Dash grunted out, hot breath puffing against Danny's neck and a small shiver ran through him at it.

And then he found himself giggling of all things and he would have been worried about appearing manly in front of the quarterback but then Dash started giggling too and pretty soon they were curled together, laughing as the credits for their movie scrolled by in the background, forgotten.

DI

Danny wandered out of the library after school in time to catch Victor slamming some kid into a locker, laughing and walk away. He scowled after the jock at the other end of the hall but Victor didn't even see him. The kid was on the floor, still where he had fallen, books all over the place and it was with a start that Danny realized just who it was.

"Someone needs to teach him a lesson." He said, dropping down beside Tucker and grabbing some of his books into a messy pile.

Tucker blinked, like he was surprised to see him there and then sighed, tilting his head back against the locker.

"He's a jock, he picks on nerds." The way he said it had such finality to it that Danny stopped still crouched on the ground to stare at his friend. "We're almost done at this school, and then we can move on to the next bully at college and then the one after that when we start working."

"Tuck," Danny gaped at him. "This doesn't sound like you. You don't think like this."

Tucker just shrugged, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose looking for the entire world like he was quite content just to stay where he was on the floor. Danny couldn't figure out what had gotten into him.

"Has Victor been targeting you?" Danny narrowed his eyes, pieces slowly fitting together.

"I'm an easy target." Tucker shrugged again.

"No you're not!" He exploded. The halls were empty but he still felt his cheeks flush as his voice echoed. "Tuck," he continued softer but with no less conviction, anger. "You're a person, not some target so Victor can make himself feel big. No one deserves to be treated like this."

"And stand up to him?" Tucker asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Without your ghost powers or Dash's strength? Sam is safe, even Victor wouldn't hit a girl." He pushed to his feet and Danny stood too, handing over his books.

"I just have to get through the last of the school year," Tucker continued, shoving his books into his bag with a sigh. "I figure I can avoid him for at least half of it."

Danny didn't know what to say, didn't know how to convince Tucker that he couldn't let Victor treat him like this when he didn't have any defence and Danny couldn't be there all the time. It all sounded flat and hollow in his head so he didn't say anything, just followed him as they headed out of the school.

DI

"I think I've got something."

Tucker made a face and Sam rolled her eyes, ignoring him. They were gathered in front of the school, by the bench under the trees early in the morning waiting for the first bell to ring. Danny dragged his gaze back from where he was watching for Dash.

"Its not contagious, right?" Danny asked in his stead and Sam glared at the pair of them as they snickered.

"I think I know where the gangs been hiding out."

That sobered them up fairly quickly.

"They've been pretty quiet lately." Tucker pointed out. "How did you find anything?"

Sam cleared her throat, tugging at a loose strand on her skirt.

"Sam," Danny exchanged a look with Tucker. "What did you do?"

"I told the box ghost about a new shipment of boxes," she said, chin tilted up. "And he told me about some guys who had taken over one of his old warehouses. Apparently they moved out his old boxes and the new ones they brought in just weren't the same." A small grin flit across her face as she added, "I'm sure my dads company will love the box ghost. He'll make a great addition."

"So we might actually know where these guys are?" Danny asked, a sick sort of anticipation creeping through him.

"I've got the address written down." She waved her phone at them.

Somehow having an actual address seemed to make their crazy plan all that more real.

"I'll have to stop by and thank the box ghost later." Danny muttered as the bell rang.

Together they headed up the steps, following the few other people standing outside. The halls weren't too crowded and as they made their way to their lockers Danny had to shake himself, sure he was imagining the way heads followed them.

He caught sight of Dash through the crowd, waiting by Danny's locker, Kwan next to him. He grinned; smile dimming a little at the grim look on the jocks faces and quickened his pace, a sense of dread creeping up on him.

Valerie appeared in front of the trio before they could reach the pair waiting at the lockers, a vicious, gleeful smile on her face.

"My, my, my Sammy," she said, a mocking air to her voice and a few people had taken to openly staring at them. "Who knew you had it in you?"

"What?" Sam asked, irritated.

Valerie held out a printed sheet of paper with a smirk and Danny caught a glimpse of someone that looked a lot like Sam and too much skin before Sam snatched it away.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Valerie asked, voice pitched loud and it was obvious now what everyone was staring at, similar papers held in their hands and openly listening in, laughing, pointing.

There was a pause and Danny held his breath, horrified, embarrassed for his friend, waiting for Sam to take off running, to blush, to break down- anything.

Instead she just arched an eyebrow at Valerie with her sharpest smile and said,

"Victor has to resort to photoshop to try and get to me? And then has you do the dirty work?" She laughed, dark and amused and Danny was reminded that out of all of them Sam was by far the strongest. She said with a wink, "You're slipping."

Dash and Kwan reached them, ripping the papers out of the onlooker's hands.

"What are you staring at?" Dash loomed over a group of freshmen, glowering down at them. They shrank back against the lockers, apparently having heard stories of the infamous Dash Baxter.

"Get lost." Kwan scowled at them, expression dark and serious and Danny was momentarily struck by the complete change in the normally happy jock. "Now!" He barked when they didn't move.

Tucker and Danny grabbed a few more papers, ripping down the handful taped to the lockers as the small crowd dispersed, taking Valerie with it.

Sam was glaring down the hall at no specific point, shoulders tense and a muscle jumping in her jaw from where she was clenching her teeth. Everything about her posture screamed defensive, the paper in her hand clenched and crumpled, distorting the image.

"Hey," Tucker touched her arm gently but she just shook it off and with it most of the tension. She shook her head and sighed, balling up the paper into a tiny ball and tossed it in the closest trashcan.

"Are you okay?" Kwan asked quietly, unsure.

Sam offered a grin but it wavered and the lines around her eyes were tight.

"I'm fine." She shrugged again. "It's just a picture and it's obviously fake."

Tucker exchanged a glance with Danny, laced with guilt; probably at thinking Sam was exempt from Victors wrath because she was a girl. Violence wasn't the only form of bullying.

"Do you want to skip school?" Dash asked and Sam shot him a look saying,

"It'll only be worse if I leave. I'm not running from this."

"No, you're not." Dash agreed easy, fishing around in his pocket to pull out a few pieces of paper, which under closer inspection turned out to be tickets. "But I'd already mentioned to Paulina that I was going to take Danny to the carnival that opened by the docks today." Danny grinned, face flushing at the pleasant surprise that flit through him.

"And he invited the rest of us," Kwan added. "And Paulina so it should be all over the school and Internet by the end of first period."

Dash grinned flashing six tickets.

"Paulina is going to meet us out front with her car."

"So you're not avoiding the student body or anything." Kwan explained. "You're just coming to the carnival with us, we're supposed to skip- we're seniors. It's what they expect of us."

Sam was silent, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully and Danny knew it was up to her, he would stay at school and ride out the looks and the gossip with her if she chose to face it head on.

"You know what," Sam said finally. "Screw what they think- let's get out of here."

Danny grinned and hugged her tight, quickly.

Kwan quickly stepped up to Sam's side as the pair led the way down the hall, Tucker trailing after, while Danny followed behind with Dash at a slower pace.

"How did you know Victor was going to do this?" Danny asked quietly.

"I didn't." Dash shook his head, a rueful grin spreading across his face. "I just wanted to take you to the carnival."

"But you had enough tickets for everyone." He pressed, frowning.

"I uh," Dash rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just wanted to do something nice. Cause I could."

Danny blinked, surprised and then grinned, because he shouldn't have been. Not with Dash, not now.

"Thank you." Danny said, reaching out and linking their hands together, squeezing and not letting go.

Dash blushed lightly but smiled back.

DI

The carnival turned out to be a success. Paulina dragged Tucker on half a dozen different rides, laughing happily when he won her a stuffed panda, with a bit of ghostly help. Dash smirked like he knew exactly what Danny had done but said nothing and Tucker got to be Paulina's hero for the remainder of the day.

Sam and Kwan disappeared shortly after arriving, wandering off towards the fun house and with Tucker and Paulina distracted at the games that meant he had Dash all to himself. He tried not to show how pleased he was with it, but he wasn't quite sure he had succeeded.

The line for the Ferris wheel- a rickety old thing that looked like it had had better years but was still somehow standing- was short, both from the age of the ride and the fact that in the middle of the school day, even with the end of the year, not many people were around and the few that were, were gravitating towards the food tents as the lunch hour neared. They ended up joining the short line, herded onto the ride soon after and were squished together on the bench as the wheel began to spin slowly. The close contact had his stomach twisting, face flaming and palms sweating.

He'd been sure that the second his parents came home, or Sam and Tucker saw him the next day they would know, know what he and Dash had done. How could it not be written all over his face? And it wasn't that he regretted it- he wasn't sure he had it in him to regret anything about Dash. It was that he kept waiting for the pointed fingers, the disappointed stares, anything to disturb the happiness he'd found despite the years of baggage between them.

But no one had said anything; his parents had ended up phoning and letting him know they were going to be late and had ended up coming home after he went to bed and had barely mentioned the fact that Dash had been over the next day and Sam and Tucker hadn't noticed anything. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky.

"Is everything okay?" Dash asked, uncertain, pulling Danny away from his thoughts.

"Yeah," he said and Dash frowned. "It's just, no ones noticed. About, you know."

Dash blushed and glanced away asking,

"You want them to?"

"No," Danny said quickly, sharply, shrugging. "Its just- I thought things would change or something."

"What like the sky was going to turn purple or something?" Danny's face was flaming and he was well on his way to feeling like an idiot. Dash seemed to realize this, his hand reaching out to grasp Danny's- just as sweaty, as warm and maybe he wasn't the only one feeling out of his depth.

"Things changed," Dash said and ducked his head down to press a quick, warm kiss to Danny's lips. "Just not exactly on the scale you were imagining."

Danny sat back against the seat as it swung lightly, stopping at the top to let a terrified couple off down below. On an impulse and feeling daring he tilted his head, resting it on Dash's shoulder- with the warm weather he was missing his varsity jacket and the black material of his t-shirt attracted the heat of the sun and warmed Danny's cheek. Dash squeezed his hand and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of his head and Danny decided he could definitely live with this change.

DI

"I think the teachers decided to combine the gym classes to torture us." Danny scowled at the handful of grade elevens across the locker room, all mostly changed and laughing loudly at something Victor had said.

"They're not _that_ evil." Dash said but he was frowning like he couldn't figure out why the teachers would do it either.

Danny rested his foot on the bench, hunching down to tie his shoe. He didn't hide the sigh of relief as Victor and his friends finally filed out of the locker room and out towards the field where the classes were gathering. Dash stepped up beside him, and under the guise of moving to tie his own running shoes, slid one large warm hand up Danny's back. Danny shivered and grinned at the touch, some of his bad mood lightening.

"We could always skip." Danny suggested lowly and Dash smirked. "There's this janitors closet on the second floor…"

"Or," Dash suggested, deftly doing up one shoe and switching to the other. "You could come over after school- my parents will be out of town for a few days, we could watch a _movie_ or something."

The way Dash said movie left very little to the imagination and he was suddenly very glad Tucker wasn't there yet- he'd never hear the end of it.

Speaking of Tucker.

"Tucker should be here by now." Danny straightened up, frowning.

"Not exactly the response I was hoping for." Dash muttered and Danny smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, I'd love to come over and watch a movie tonight." Danny stepped closer, smirking at the slight shudder that ran through the blonde as he ran his hands lightly over the waistband of his gym shorts.

"Yeah," Dash said, sounding breathless, face flushing. "You mentioned something about a janitors closet?"

Danny didn't get a chance to reply, his phone buzzing angrily in his bag.

"Ignore it." Dash suggested but Danny pulled back with a sigh, rummaging for it and flipping it open.

"It could be from Tucker." And it was. Danny read over the message, expression darkening.

"What is it?" Dash asked, concerned.

"Tucker ran into Victor earlier." Danny typed in a quick reply and stuffed his bag into his locker. "I have to go get him out of his locker."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Danny shook his head, good mood evaporating as quickly as it had come.

"Just make sure Victor doesn't try anything with Sam, please?" He asked and Dash nodded, heading off to join the others on the field as Danny hurried out of the locker room.

DI

"I don't want to talk about it." Tucker said as the lock sprung open and Danny let his friend out. His shoulders hunched, eyes wide and normally dark complexion pale, he set off down the hallway and Danny was helpless but to follow.

"Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson." Danny muttered darkly, mostly to himself but Tucker heard anyways.

"He's not scared of you, and whatever you've been doing, Danny." He pointed out. "Nothing bothers him."

"He's such an asshole." He said with such loathing that he startled himself.

"The king of assholes." Tucker agreed easily.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Danny shooting Tucker furtive glances along the way and Tucker ignoring them. The locker room was empty when they reached it, and Tucker changed quickly.

The class was divided into three groups and Danny spotted the two gym teachers by the bleachers, talking to a group of girls that weren't dressed for gym- Danny recognized at least two of them from their gym class. They started that way, figuring they should check in but yelling caught his attention. Across the field one of the groups of students had formed a circle around two people, chanting and cheering and Danny watched for a moment, confused. The coaches glanced up at the noise and a second later were running across the field, shouting for the students to _break it up_.

"Who's fighting?" Tucker asked.

Danny shrugged, unable to see through the circle of students. Other groups were heading towards the fight and the teachers were attempting to force their way in to stop the fight themselves.

Sam appeared at their side and Danny looked around, sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized that he couldn't spot Dash amongst the crowd.

"Hey!" Sam shouted suddenly and Danny followed her gaze to where Kwan was shrugging off one of the hockey jocks. He grabbed her wrist before she could charge over and give the guy a black eye.

The teachers made it to the center of the circle and the crowd dispersed suddenly, apparently not wanting to get the blame for any of the fight and Danny spotted, just as the teacher made it to Dash, the blonde knock Victor flat on his ass with a solid punch.

He didn't know whether to cheer or fume. The two were pulled apart and marched towards the school doors, towards where the trio stood.

Kwan followed closely behind, glowering at the back of Victor's head. As they got closer Danny could see the split lip, rapidly bruising cheek and the way that Dash held the wrist he'd hurt fighting the gang not long ago, stiffly and close to his chest. Victor was another story, his right eye was already swelling shut, nose bleeding freely onto his gym shirt and his left eye looked like it was going to turn spectacular colours within a day.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Danny asked when they were close enough.

"Get to your groups." The teacher leading Victor barked at them and pushed past. Victor sneered but otherwise remained silent.

"Dash?" Danny called after him but Dash just grimaced and ducked his head, following without having to be told.

"What happened?" Sam repeated Danny's question to Kwan, physically stepping in front of him to stop him from following the others.

"Victor said something to Dash," Kwan watched his friend go, grimacing. There was a bruise high on his cheek. "And Dash lost it."

"What did he say?" Danny asked, anger coiling through him and with no outlet for it.

"Kwan!" One of the teachers turned back, calling to the jock. "Let's go!"

"I don't know," he said quickly. "I didn't hear."

Danny watched him jog to catch up to the others, he kept watching long after they'd disappeared into the school. Dash wasn't the most patient person, wasn't one to back down from a challenge- but starting a fight like that in gym class? Danny frowned, worried.

"We could slip out." Sam suggested quietly.

"They're probably at the principals office by now."

"Wouldn't they go to the nurses first?"

"Let's go." Danny said interrupting them, suddenly very anxious to find out what had happened.

DI

The principals office was closed tight and they couldn't hear what was going on inside but they sat, somewhat patiently in the hard plastic chairs out front, waiting for someone to make an appearance.

The vice principal had glared at them, pointedly telling them that they were missing their next period twice before apparently giving up. Danny had ignored them; ready to go ghost and sit around invisible if it meant being there when Dash got out. Sam had a look on her face that promised pain and revenge if they tried to make her move.

"Dash and Kwan have done stupid things before," Tucker said, nervously. "And they spent five minutes in the principals office."

Danny glanced reflexively at the clock on the wall; it was going on forty minutes since they'd sat down to wait.

When the door opened, Danny had been on his feet before he'd realized what he was doing. Victor was the first through the doorway, looking petulant until he spotted the trio, then his expression turned incredibly smug. He smirked at Danny, and Danny felt a hand curl around his wrist, a precaution to make sure he wouldn't do anything stupid. Sam released him once Victor had disappeared out of sight, taking to hovering at the door.

It opened again a moment later and Kwan stormed out, fuming. He stalked by them and after a brief look, Sam followed after, pulling Tucker with her. Danny turned back as Dash joined him in the room, face stormy.

"Hey," Danny said quietly, aware of the vice principals desk close by and the principal on the other side of the door. He took in the dark expression on Dash's face, the bruises and cuts and the way he kept his arm close to his chest. "Have you seen the nurse?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"No." Dash said curtly. Danny blinked, taken aback at the tone and Dash sighed, sagging a little. "I just want to head home."

"Home?" Danny asked, but led the way regardless.

"Yeah," Dash nodded as they headed down the hallway. "Suspended for two days."

Anger bubbled up through him but he kept silent for the moment, knowing he had time once they reached Dash's house to find out what had happened with Victor, why the other jock had seemed so smug and what Dash was thinking. Or better yet, why Danny hadn't been there to stop it.

It didn't take them long to get to Dash's, he lived close enough to the school. The house was silent when they let themselves in, his parents having left early that morning for their trip out of town.

Danny grabbed the first aid supplies from the bathroom and forced Dash to sit still on the couch while he dabbed at his split lip and inspected his bruises. It was quiet save for the sound of their breathing and when Danny reached for something in the kit and he could feel the tension rising between his shoulders, coiling tighter.

Dash let out a slight hiss when Danny, inspecting his wrist, squeezed a little too tight and he dropped Dash's hand like he'd been scalded, quick to apologize.

"It's fine," Dash said. "Danny, really- I'm okay."

Danny shifted, dropping his gaze and Dash sighed, reaching out to pull him closer but he scooted back out of reach with a frown.

"What?" Dash asked, confusion spread out across his face.

"What did Victor say to you?"

This time it was Dash's turn to frown, scowling at a point over Danny's shoulder- and didn't they make quite a pair, unable to meet the others gaze?

"It's nothing."

"It is _something_." Danny pressed; Dash a year ago- Danny would assume he had no reason to jump into a fight, but Dash now? There had to be a pretty good reason.

"Danny, if it was something important I'd tell you. But there's no point in telling you."

"Why?" He demanded, frustrated and feeling like he was missing most of the puzzle.

"Because it was bullshit about you!" Dash shot back, face flushed and voice sharp. He paused, grimacing like he hadn't meant to say it. He continued, softer. "And it will just hurt you to repeat it, won't change that it's not true, so there's no point."

"I can take anything Victor says about me." Danny set his jaw, voice firm.

Dash nodded and twisted so he could lean back against the couch, tilting his head back like he was suddenly exhausted.

"I know, but you shouldn't have to."

Danny wasn't sure what to say to that, but he could feel his resolve crumbling.

"Did Victor get suspended too?" Danny finally found his voice, but the look on Dash's face told him everything.

"Detention for two weeks." Dash said and then sat back up, going to run a hand through his hair before remembering his wrist.

"We should get that looked at." But Dash shook his head and Danny knew not to push, understood the feeling even if he didn't like it and pulled a tensor bandage out. "Then I'll get some ice."

"In a second," Dash reached out and snagged his hand and the contact was enough to have Danny remaining on the couch, pulled closer to his boyfriend by an unseen force. "There's uh, something else I should probably tell you."

Danny nodded, stomach twisting with a sinking sensation. Every bone in his body was screaming for him to not listen, to get up and go get the ice, to put off whatever it was that Dash wanted to say because he _knew_ it was not going to be anything good.

"Kwan got suspended too," Dash began. "But since I started the fight, even if Victor was the one instigating it,"

"And because Lancer has a new favourite pet." Danny cut in, scowled darkly and Dash squeezed his hand.

"I, um, was banned from prom." Dash finished quietly and Danny sat there, staring blankly ahead. His chest felt tight and it took him a moment to remember how to breathe. "Danny?"

Dash looked uncertain, and it took Danny a minute to figure out what he was thinking and when he did he was shocked, shocked that Dash would think he'd get up and walk out on him over that.

"Hey," Danny said, sliding closer. He pulled Dash's hand up and pressed a kiss to the pulse point on the soft skin on the inside of his wrist. "It's fine," It wasn't fine, it was unfair, unjust and Danny wanted to do something, _anything_. "We won't go then."

"I can't ask- you said you have your tux." Dash protested.

"I'll get Sam to return it, it wasn't really me anyways." He said and ignored the little pang in his stomach at the thought. "I prefer jeans."

"You should still go with Sam and Tucker and Kwan. We can hang out before or after or something."

"Dash," Danny said firmly and slid into his lap, feeling brave and reckless and furious all at once. "I'm not going without you."

He cut off any arguments Dash could come up with, leaning forwards and capturing his lips in a deep, slow kiss his hands coming up around Dash's shoulders as the blonde's settled on his waist, pulling him closer.

He'd let Sam know later, have her return the ridiculously expensive tux- he still felt guilty about the price- and he and Dash would do something together, go out or maybe just stay in with a movie. He pressed a little closer at the thought, jeans growing tighter as he imagined the ways that they could forget about prom and all of the troubles at school.

Somehow though, this all felt like giving up, giving in. And he'd decided that losing to Victor Feldsman wasn't an option.

* * *

What have you gotten yourself into Victor? He'll never see this coming...


	13. A Long Time Coming

A/N- *hesitant wave* I promised I'd be back! And I am! I come bearing a new chapter- which hopefully you'll like! (fingers crossed) we have some confrontation, some boy on boy and a few other things thrown in for fun... I am soooo sorry with how long these chapters take me- I am so easily distracted it's ridiculous. But it feels amazing to be posting something new so I'll try to keep that in mind as I work on the next chapter (which very well may be the final chapter! We shall see!) I'm also thinking of a sequel...so if you think it's a good idea, let me know...! I really appreciate every single review and message I've gotten from all of you- I probably would have given up long ago if not for the encouragement. I love you guys!

Hastily posted because I just couldn't wait any longer for you all to read it!

Disclaimer: nope, not mine. But I can dream...

* * *

"That's _bullshit_!"

Several people in the restaurant glanced over at Sam's explosion, a mother even going as far as to cover her child's ears, shooting them a dark look. It all went unnoticed by her, or more likely that she just didn't care enough, caught up in righteous anger instead.

Tucker clearly noticing, tried to quiet Sam, and failed miserably.

"Dash isn't Lancers pet anymore, it's _favouritism_." She spat the word out, lips curled down.

"There's no way to change Lancers mind," Tucker added in, his own disgust creeping across his features to mix with the hopelessness it seemed he wore like a permanent mask lately.

"We could sneak Dash in." Kwan suggested, honest optimism trying to lighten the mood at their little table. "It'll be dark inside, just keep him out of the chaperones sight and no problem."

"Yeah, but could we get Dash to agree?"

"Danny," three sets of eyes turned the teenager staring blankly out the window at the busy street. "What do you think?"

"We could try," he shrugged. "But I'm not sure we could talk Dash into it. I think everything with Victor is starting to get to him." A dark look passed over his features and his hands clenched into fists, hidden under the table and out of sight.

"So, we come up with a back up plan." Sam, stubborn, exchanged a glance with Kwan that Danny couldn't decipher.

::

"So I'm going up to the cottage this weekend." Dash announced out of the blue as, on screen, his Pikachu beat Danny's Mario into the ground.

Danny glanced over, surprised and Dash took that moment to knock Mario off the platform and out of the game.

"That's cheating." He tossed his controller away as the blonde grinned at him, nonplussed.

"Alls fair in love and Nintendo." Dash quoted, eyes momentarily back on the screen as he went to set up a new game.

Danny caught himself staring at the blonde; he felt flushed, a little off balance. He shook it off and grabbed his controller before Dash could cheat again.

"So the cottage?" Danny prompted as the game reset.

Dash grunted, attention onscreen as he successfully beat Mario into a bloody pulp. Danny threw his controller away in disgust as, once again the game ended. How he'd ever thought he was good at these games was beyond him- he'd spent the last hour getting his ass handed to him by the Quarterback. Danny had thought that he and Tucker had gotten pretty good at the myriad of video games out there- with very little social life, aside from anything related to ghosts, it wasn't like there was much else to do- he'd been proven wrong.

Dash stood, fists up in the air in victory, looking entirely too smug with himself.

A year ago the look would have driven Danny _crazy_. Now, he had to admit it was a good look on him.

In fact, it gave him ideas.

Without warning he launched himself at Dash, catching him off guard. They fell to the floor, Dash grunting as Danny's full weight landed on him. Danny cackled madly, yelping as Dash suddenly twisted and all of a sudden their positions were reversed.

He squirmed, hands pinned to the floor by his head.

"I think I win again." Dash grinned, wide and playful and beautiful down at him, not giving an inch no matter how much Danny bucked and kicked.

"Not quite." Danny went ghost, laughing at the shocked look on the blonde's face as he phased and rolled out from under him. He turned tangible again, flipped Dash, smirking down at him.

"That was," Dash stared up at him.

"Cheating?" Danny suggested helpfully.

"_Awesome_." He finished.

Danny realized he was straddling Dash, hands resting on his shoulders, and still in his ghost form. The look in Dash's eyes was something he hadn't seen before on anyone else. It was awe- which he sometimes got, on the odd occasion where things went right and he saved everyone right off the bat- and amazement and _heat_. He felt a coil of arousal wind its way through him to settle low in his stomach.

"Yeah?" His voice came out low, rough. He cleared his throat.

"And _hot_." Dash sat up and Danny slid back a little. Large hands, rough with calluses came up to rest on his hips. One slid up, across his chest, his neck and into his hair. He shuddered as Dash lightly tugged on a handful of stark white hair.

The other hand slid from his waist, cupping him through the material of his suit. He groaned, eyes fluttering closed as Dash rubbed, tracing the outline of his hardening cock.

"Really hot." Dash murmured, more to himself than anyone else but Danny heard it nonetheless.

Dash's large hand gripped him as best he could through the material, rubbing and stroking. Danny forced his eyes open only to find Dash watching him intently, eyes dark- so dark, and cheeks flushed. His lips were dark red and Danny found himself staring at them as thoughts of what they could do wrapped around his cock suddenly made an appearance at the forefront of his mind.

He whimpered as Dash licked his lips. Dash's grip on his cock tightened and his hips lifted, just enough the Danny could feel the hard outline of Dash pressing up against his ass.

It felt like the breath had been punched out of him. For one long moment he couldn't breathe- sparks shooting up and down his spine and they had barely done anything. All he could think was _lessclotheslessclotheslesscl othes_- what it would feel like for Dash to do that again but without the barriers between them.

He bit his lip, brain and body in agreement as he ground down, hips awkward and inexperienced. Dash's lips parted, breath escaping as his eyes went wide. Danny crashed their mouths together, messy and harsh and _desperate_.

Dash's strokes went from teasing to hurried, out of sync with the way his hips would thrust and Danny would grind and it was awkward- he could feel his muscles straining- but it was _perfect._ The heat in his stomach was coiling tighter, his cock leaking in his suit, balls tight- he was _so close_. Frustration was mixing with the pleasure.

"C'mon." He urged, pressing closer.

Dash growled low in his throat and Danny shuddered, hands clenching tight, too tight on his shoulders.

"Fucking suit," Dash was muttering, and yeah, Danny was in complete agreement there but he couldn't focus, couldn't turn back let alone put together enough brain cells to remember how to get the stupid thing off.

But it didn't matter in a moment because Dash's hips pressed up, in time with his hand- _finally_- and Danny was coming, shaking apart as he curled forwards until his head hit the blonde's shoulder. Dash's hand didn't stop, wringing every drop out of him until his legs were twitching and he was shaking from sensitivity- punch drunk and laughing quietly for no real reason other than he could.

He shifted, feeling pleasantly boneless and Dash let out a helpless whimper.

_Right_.

Danny slid out of his lap as Dash cursed. He reached for the blonde's jeans, getting the button and zipper undone with surprisingly steady hands. Dash's cock jutted out, red and hard and Danny didn't let himself over think it, just wrapped one pale hand around the base, stroking in quick, jerky movements.

Dash exhaled, loud and harsh in the quiet of the room. Danny glanced up to find the familiar dark, _hot_ gaze on him. It made him feel powerful, made his cock stir again and his mouth water. He ducked his head- didn't think about it- and licked over the dripping head of Dash's cock.

The quarterback made a wounded noise, like it hurt and Danny had all the power here. It was a heady rush.

He licked again and again, lapping at the pre come gathering at the tip, gathering the unfamiliar taste on his tongue. Dash was panting, chest heaving, hands coming down to clench Danny's shoulders, tight, tight enough to leave bruises. He sucked the head into his mouth, feeling the weight on his tongue, the texture, the taste- and then Dash was pushing him off abruptly and Danny sat back startled.

Dash was curled forwards, hand on his own cock, jerking himself off as he came, messy and all over his jeans.

Danny watched, heat shooting through him again, mouth still watering as he watched the almost pained expression on the blondes face.

And then it was over and Dash slumped backwards onto the floor, cock hanging out, completely unembarrassed. Danny just wanted to get him naked. The thought terrified him a little.

And had he just-?

He'd just had Dash Baxter's cock in his _mouth_.

"Stop freaking out." Dash slurred happily. He cracked an eye open, gesturing for Danny to join him in his sprawl.

Danny blinked.

"I'll blow you next time." Dash continued, cheeks flushing a bit.

Danny laughed, arousal sparking a bit at the statement and crawled forwards, settling heavy and content across Dash's chest.

::

"So I think we should do it this weekend."

"What?" Tucker's startled gaze was wrenched away from where Paulina had been in the cafeteria line to Danny seated across from him.

"Let's hit the gang this weekend. We know where they are, we have a plan,"

"We have a rough outline of a plan." Sam interrupted.

"Right," Danny agreed. "We have a rough outline of a plan, which we could put together _easily_- we're wasting time just sitting around like this."

"We're not exactly just sitting around doing nothing." Tucker gestured at the open books spread across their table in the lunchroom. "There's this pesky thing called _exams_ to deal with."

Danny waved it off. Tucker had a habit to stress over his exams until they were over and it turned out that he'd been freaking out for no reason. Sam had developed a very Zen method of dealing with exams and end of the year projects- pretend the exams weren't happening and her end of the year projects were on the most insane topics she could think of and in turn the teachers gave her excellent grades for _creativity_ and because half the time they didn't understand any of it.

He…tried not to think about those kinds of things too much.

The box ghost hadn't been much help with his last set of exams he'd had to study for. Patrol and textbooks didn't mix very well.

"What I want to know," Sam interrupted his train of thought, giving him a pointed look like she just _knew_ where his mind had gone. "Is why this weekend."

"What?"

"Why this weekend." Sam repeated, eerily calm. "What brought this on? I was starting to think we'd be waiting until school was out. So why the sudden urgency?"

"There's no urgency." Danny denied, mostly addressing his soggy fries.

"Yeah man, what's up?" And now Tucker was turning against him.

"Nothing! Maybe I just want to finish this before anyone else gets hurt." It was the truth.

It wasn't the whole truth though.

Tucker's gaze flickered over his shoulder and a moment later Dash dropped into the seat next to Danny, tray clattering onto the table.

"Hey." The quarterback grinned, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Kwan appeared a moment later, sliding onto the bench across from Sam- what surprised him was the third person with the two jocks. Paulina settled in between Tucker and Sam, waving off the freshman carrying her tray once he had set it down.

Danny stared for a moment, not completely sure that he wasn't imagining things. He glanced over at Tucker who looked, at the moment, like someone had just placed a bagful of money in front of him- non-sequential hundred dollar bills- and told him to have blast.

Sam on the other hand had a pained expression on her face- left eye twitching somewhat sporadically and Danny was starting to worry that she was in the midst of a stroke. He didn't think their school nurse- who tended to prescribe gummy vitamins for _everything_- was equipped to handle it.

"So did you ask your parents?" Kwan broke the unintentional silence that had fallen over the table, happily oblivious as he mowed down on his burger.

"Yeah," Dash picked up what had apparently been a previous conversation before they had sat with the trio. He frowned, looking displeased. "Said they wanted to have a _family weekend_ together," he made air quotes. "So no guests."

"Damn." Kwan actually _pouted_. Sam stared and he stopped quickly. "Your cottage is awesome."

Dash shrugged, glancing over at Danny.

"I was kind of hoping they'd let me bring someone this time."

Danny blinked, cheeks heating at the implications. Kwan smirked.

"I think getting suspended freaked them out or something."

Danny winced, suddenly unable to meet the blondes' gaze.

"What are you reading?" Paulina peered at the books spread out in front of Tucker and for a moment he was certain Tucker was about to pass out.

"Biology." He stammered, cheeks darkening. "For the exams."

"Oh," She pulled one closer, flipping through the pages.

Sam arched an eyebrow at him and Danny just shrugged.

"Paulina, weren't you just talking about needing some help with that exam?" Dash asked, trying (and failing) to appear completely innocent. Paulina shot him a look that Danny had trouble deciphering.

"I don't know what you're _talking about_, Baxter." She smiled sweetly at him, gaze narrowed.

"Oh yeah," Kwan chimed in, ignoring the steely look that was suddenly directed at him. "You just said something about that earlier."

Sam was suddenly looking much more interested in the conversation, glancing between the three with amusement.

"If you need help," Tucker began, expression hopeful as Paulina turned her gaze on him, although Danny noticed it lacked the heat it had when it had been directed at the others. "We could maybe study together?"

A complicated mixture of emotions flashed across her face and then disappeared behind her signature sweet smile and Tucker beamed back in response.

"Sure." She agreed.

Danny glanced at Dash, taking in the content, if not a little smug, grin he was sporting and couldn't shake the feeling that he had just been witness to something monumental. Dash caught his gaze and Danny promised himself he'd get the details out of the quarterback later.

Across the table Sam had the appearance of having swallowed something sour, but it was pushed to the side as Kwan nudged his chocolate pudding onto her tray with a small quirk of his lips.

::

School was drawing to a close; they'd had a few days of no threats from the gang, no ghosts, and no problems at school. They'd enjoyed the quiet, had managed to pretend for a brief moment at least that they were normal.

It seemed that they'd been lulled into a false sense of security.

Danny was shoved to the side, hard and unexpected- hitting the closed locker door. It rattled his body, sent a jarring pain up his arm and through his shoulder as he stumbled, trying to keep his balance.

Victor sneered at them, expression going smug as he shoved Tucker backwards into the waiting open garbage can another jock held.

Tuckers cries of protests went unheard as his books were dumped in on top of him.

Danny regained his balance, arm smarting but furious. He pushed himself off of the locker, ready to do something, ready to make Victor _sorry_, to make him _hurt_, when a small soft hand settled on his shoulder stilling him before he could make a move.

It was a light touch, but there was strength behind it and Danny glanced back wondering who had stopped him.

Paulina watched as Victor and his lackeys strutted off, laughing loud and irritating that echoed in the hallways even after they had disappeared from sight. Her dark eyes were unfocused, staring at the point they had last stood. A myriad of conflicting emotions passed across her face, lingering on something dark before being replaced with a careful mask.

"Paulina?" He asked carefully, his fury held at bay for the moment.

She blinked, seemingly coming back to herself, pulling her hand back like she'd been burned a moment later.

"Let's help Tucker." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and moved to go and help his friend. He stopped her before he could really think about it with a hand on her elbow.

"No offence, but I'm pretty sure it'd kill him if he knew you'd seen…this." He gestured around the hall, speaking quietly.

Paulina nodded slowly, looking reluctant to just leave.

"He'll be fine." Danny promised, lying through his teeth. Paulina looked like she knew it too but turned and walked away nonetheless.

He waited until she was out of sight, and then hurried over to the garbage down the hall, pulling off the lid. Tucker refused to meet his gaze as he carefully helped him out, helped him collect his books and papers.

Danny wisely kept his mouth shut, hating what was happening to his friend and wondering idly what the look on Paulina's face had meant.

::

"Hey,"

Dash had his duffle bag spread open on the bed, piles of clothes shoved half in or thrown in the general direction, only to land on the edge and slide off into the mess collecting on the floor of his room. Danny was sprawled sideways on the mattress, attention drifting between the British detective show that was open on the computer that Dash seemed so fond of and the blonde himself.

Admittedly he could have probably helped him pack, or at least stopped the clothes from sliding to the floor in a jumbled mess but he was relaxing- too lazy to move- and most definitely _not_ pouting that Dash was going away for the weekend.

He could handle a little separation every once in awhile.

Maybe.

"Danny," Dash threw a rolled up pair of socks at his head when he failed to answer the first time. Danny yelped, startled out of his thoughts as they bounced off his forehead to land perfectly in the duffle.

They both stared for a moment, first at the socks neatly inside the bag and then to the other items spread out across the bed and the floor that Dash had been tossing in the bags general direction for a while now.

"Don't get any ideas." Danny eventually said at Dash's smirk.

"Like you could stop me, Fenton." He teased and Danny rolled his eyes.

"You were saying?"

Dash ventured over to the bed, half sitting, half collapsing onto it and Danny complained, without any real heat, when Dash's head hit his stomach, apparently content to use him as a pillow.

"Yeah, is everything okay?" Dash twisted a little, digging the back of his head further into Danny's stomach. He glanced away from the quarterbacks gaze, taking in the show still playing quietly in the corner. "Danny?"

"Just a little stressed."

Dash frowned and made to sit up but Danny pushed him back down gently. His fingers twitched, needing something to do and with a slight rush of embarrassment he found himself threading his fingers through the thick blonde hair, almost absently petting him. Dash didn't seem to mind though, settling back down with a quiet sigh.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked softly, as though not to interrupt whatever moment they'd slipped into.

Danny thought about it, he could disrupt the moment with a lewd innuendo, see where it took them from there. For once though the tension riding high in his shoulders had eased a little and he was hesitant to let it go.

"Nah," he said after a moment. "I've got it almost all sorted out."

"It's not about Victor, right?"

Danny didn't like the dark tone that seeped into Dash's voice at the mention of the other jock. He scratched at the blondes scalp lightly, almost smiling at how quickly the bad mood associated with Victors name slid away with it.

"No." He lied.

Dash made a little noise but didn't press the issue and for that Danny was glad. It wasn't just one thing- it wasn't just Victor. It was everything piling together, more and more pressure on his shoulders. Anger and frustration were quickly becoming apart of his daily routine- always there just simmering beneath the surface and waiting for the perfect moment to explode. He kept telling himself that, that was not what he wanted. But it was getting harder to reassure himself when all he wanted to do whenever Victor was mentioned was to track him down and pay him back for every injustice he ever inflicted upon Danny and his friends.

Sam had taken to shooting him worried looks when she thought Danny wasn't looking, like she knew exactly what Danny was thinking. It prickled at him even though he knew she was just showing concern.

But this weekend- he _needed_ this weekend. Finally a chance to act, to do something other than sitting around waiting for the gang to pick up interest in them, and specifically Dash again. He was ready. He was more than ready and it didn't worry him that he wasn't sure what he would do when he had Moe alone. It probably should have.

"Just don't get into any trouble this weekend." Dash murmured, lulled into a half awake state by Danny's fingers in his hair.

Danny craned his head up enough to look down at the blonde resting peacefully, his heart twisting with the need to protect him.

He couldn't reply, but Dash didn't seem to notice.

::

It was night out.

An inky black spread across the city as the moon and stars high above hid behind sickly grey clouds as the beginning of a storm threatened overhead. The air was humid and lethargic with the hint of rain- and lots of it.

Down by the docks the only light was that of the aging lampposts set far apart from one another, creating dark spaces that crept into the path of the light. Further down even those seemed to barely work- their bulbs flickering with the threat of permanent darkness. No one ventured down there at night, or even during the day really, down in the old docks with the condemned buildings the city had all but forgotten about.

A warehouse stood amongst the mess of others, two stories high but smaller than the rest. Its windows were coated in grime and dust from years of remaining untouched and forgotten, some broken, some boarded up against the elements.

Its brick walls were crumbling and no longer the clean slate grey they had once been. A chain link fence had once run around its perimeter but now all that remained was bits and pieces, and a sign coated heavily in graffiti stuck to its front proclaiming it **Condemned- No Entry**.

The wind howled through the alleys and across the ocean and it all seemed untouched, like no one would ever dare come there. It was deserted, forgotten, most likely for the best.

Save for the two-story warehouse, smaller than the rest, which had light spilling out of its almost blacked out windows on the second floor.

The inside of the warehouse looked similar to its exterior. The first floor was filled with new crates, while the rest of it remained rotting. The second floor was lit up, a few tables spread out while a small group of people hung around. There was an old television set in the corner, in front of a stained, moth eaten couch and on it sat Moe, feet up on a rickety milk crate and beer bottle in hand.

"Hey- where do you want these?" Another member of the gang called- hair shaved and beard shaggy. He hefted the pile of packages in his arms a little higher, white powder sealed safely inside.

Moe glanced over, pug face tight and pinched with a look of displeasure.

"Just stick it on the table."

The lights flickered briefly before settling again.

Moe grunted and turned back to the television set which had begun to crackle ominously.

"Piece of shit." He hefted to his feet, crossing the distance to swat one bulky hand at the aged electronic. It crackled again, the picture fuzzy. "You assholes couldn't even steal a decent TV."

The others remained silent, wisely.

He hit the television again, cursing. The picture flickered out before finally returning, perhaps a little grainier than before.

With a smug grin he settled back down on the couch, reaching for the beer he'd set on the milk crate. His hand closed around open air. Moe glanced around, certain he'd left the bottle there- but no there it was, on top of the television. With a frustrated sigh he pushed himself up again, and grabbed the bottle, surprised at how cold it felt in his palm.

"Okay, which one of you fuckers took it?"

Moe twisted around at the shout, anger at being interrupted again spreading across his face.

The shaved gang member was brandishing a package at the remaining three people standing around the room.

"What the hell are you going on about Jones?"

"There are two fucking packages missing." Jones glanced over at Moe before gesturing at the others again. There was a gun on his hip and he looked close to going for it. "I had em when I came up- one of these assholes must have taken them."

"You'd better find it." Moe pointed one, meaty finger at him, an unpleasant sneer on his lips. "Or you're gonna be the one explaining it to the boss."

Jones paled at this.

The television flickered and finally died with a quiet _pop_.

"Oh for fucks sakes." Moe kicked the crate out of the way, putting his bottle on the floor and stomped over to the television. Overhead the lights flickered off again, coming back on before anyone could make a move for the light switch by the door.

"Who chose this place again?" A small man wearing an army jacket, three sizes too big for him, asked.

"Jones did." They all looked over at Jones, however the space he had been in was suddenly empty. "What the hell?"

There was a crash from down stairs and four sets of guns were drawn. Moe glanced from the pile on the table to the door, outrage appearing on his face.

"He must have kept those two bags for himself- where does that son of a bitch think he's going?" they ran for the door as the lights flickered off again. A noise, like the wind outside, howled through the building, making the hair on the backs of their necks stand up.

"Someone turn that light back on!"

Moe hit something and stumbled, falling to one knee. His gun left his hand, skittering across the floor and disappearing into the dark. He cursed, reaching out for whatever he had tripped over and finding nothing.

Another voice cried out and Moe pushed himself to his feet, tense, hand clenching where it should have been holding his gun.

"The light switch isn't working!"

"The breakers down stairs- I'll find it."

The group went silent again and Moe waited, listening for the sound of the old wooden door that led down to the first floor, to creak open. It never came.

"Crowley?" He called carefully, feeling his way along in the dark. "Harville?"

If those little shits had knocked themselves out or something as equally idiotic, he was going to kill them. He had to do everything himself.

He found the door without a problem, twisting the handle. The handle moved but the door wouldn't open. Moe cursed- there was no way this door would choose this moment to finally give out. He rammed a shoulder against the wood, heard it creak but it didn't give.

"You assholes had better get up." He muttered. It was silent. Tension prickled up his spine.

Quietly he got down on his hands and knees, searching quickly for his gun. He found the table leg, but no gun and no one else.

"Okay," he called out suddenly furious. "Okay- I know you're there! Show yourself!"

Outside the storm broke.

Moe jumped at the first clash of thunder as torrents of rain began pounding against the building. His palms were sweaty. His eyes darted around in the dark, trying to tell the shadows apart.

"Come on you fucker!" He yelled, putting bravado into his voice. He smirked. "Or are you too much of a pussy?"

Thunder struck again.

He turned around towards the door and yelled, jumping back as shock rippled through him.

Glowing green eyes stared back at him.

He cursed, then squinted as the person before him became more visible.

"Wait- Phantom?" He laughed. The fear began to melt away. "Oh that was _you_. What was your plan; _scare_me into leaving your little friend alone?"

He laughed harder.

Danny stared at him, unblinking. He felt calm, he felt numb. Moe seemed to notice the lack of reaction and sneered at him, beady eyes glittering.

"I've been going easy on him. Now though, I think I'll make his life _difficult_, make that pretty boy _cry_."

Danny glared at him, sparks of fear and anger igniting in his chest.

"If you do I'll,"

"You'll what?" Moe taunted. "You're a goddamn _hero_. You can't do _shit._"

Danny didn't flinch as the words were spat at him.

"I'm gonna tear him to pieces," Moe continued, voice so smug. "I'm gonna make him _beg_ and then I'm gonna go after his family, after everyone he _knows_. And it'll be all _your fault_."

Danny grit his teeth, hands balled into fists. Above them the lights hummed, sparks lighting in their bulbs.

"But I might go easy on him," Moe smiled, sick and twisted. It made Danny's stomach twist.

Something cold was spreading through his chest, making it hard to breathe.

"If," Moe continued. "you leave this town now and I _never_see you again."

His teeth were yellowed when he grinned and Danny wanted to reach out and punch every single one of them in.

Above the lights lit up in a flash and then exploded.

Moe cried out, surprised as shards of glass rained down on them and Danny pushed. He sent the man stumbling backwards. He closed the distance and pushed again. Moe tried to fight back but his hands went right through Danny.

Moe's back hit the warehouse wall, the breath knocked out of him and then Danny was there and he didn't think, just acted, the cold spreading through him, ice through his veins and he felt _nothing_ but a surge of satisfaction at the terror on the gang leader's face as he shoved one hand right into his _chest_.

Moe let out a strangled sound as he stared down at Danny's hand, phased from elbow down.

"My hand is in your heart right now." Danny stated calmly. "I could kill you now and you wouldn't be able to do a thing. Probably wouldn't feel much either."

"Or," he continued, moving his hand over just a bit. "I could burst a lung, let you die slowly and painfully."

He drew the words out; unable to tear his gaze away from where his hands disappeared into the man's chest. It would be so easy. Solve all of their problems.

"P-please…"

"Please?" Danny repeated. He let out a harsh laugh, it sounded wrong to his ears but he couldn't stop it. The laughter kept coming until suddenly it just wasn't funny anymore and he was _furious_.

"Please?" Danny said again. "You want _mercy_? Mercy after you hurt my _friend_ tried to tear his life apart and then threatened to do _worse_ unless I leave?"

He pushed his other hand into Moe's chest, enjoying the absolute terror displayed across his face. Outside the storm continued to howl but now Danny could hear other noises, however faint, but growing louder.

"This is _my town_." Danny leaned forwards, whispering, and voice harsh. "And if you _ever_forget it the cops are going to be the least of your worries."

"T-the cops?" Moe stuttered, earlier bravado gone.

Danny smiled, dark and grim.

It felt like it took everything he had to step back from the man, to pull his hands back out. Moe collapsed to the ground, mumbling to himself and below them raised voices could be heard. Danny stared down at him and tried to feel victorious, tried to feel something but all he felt was cold. Feet pounded up the stairs and Danny was gone as the cops burst in through the doors.


	14. The End

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- There are no words for how sorry I am that it took this long to post this chapter- and it's the final chapter too! But I just haven't had inspiration and just started school again for the first time in four years. But I'm here now! I'm a little sad to see WIP end, but I do have plans for a sequel, you'll just have to be patient with me. A HUGE thank you goes out to everyone that took the time to review or send me a message, even if I didn't get a chance to reply I just wanted to let you know how amazing it was every time I received one. It encouraged me to keep writing and just brightened my day in general. I began writing this in high school, so this has been my baby for over six years. Looks like I'll have to update some of the other stories I never got around to!

Thank you again to everyone who read WIP and supported me throughout it- I love you more than you can imagine.

Enough of me blabbering though, on to the chapter!

* * *

The night air was muggy, the sun barely a hint on the horizon as the sky began to lighten. Stars still shone overhead, few and far between hidden by the city smog. It had turned out to be a pleasant night after all as the clouds dissipated. The smell of rain still lingered in the air.

The normally silent docks were a buzz with activity even at the early hour. Squad cars and SWAT swarmed the area, their lights flashing, highlighting every harsh contour, every shadow.

Moe's face was bathed in blues and reds as he was led out of the warehouse in cuffs. His usual bravado was gone, flinching at shadows and eyes wide as he searched the line of buildings. He saw a flash of green, felt a wave of nausea and a sharp, metallic taste in his mouth.

"Watch your head." The officer gave him a shove and he tumbled into the back seat of the cruiser thankful for its (false) protection. He clenched his hands together and cold sweat ran down his back.

He could still feel that phantom hand in his chest.

High above the scene Danny watched as the cruiser pulled away. He wanted to go after it. There was a pull, something calling out to him to finish the job he'd started. It was Moe after all- what was his life compared to everyone that would be better off without him? What was his life compared to Dash's?

"Danny? You up here?"

His feet set back down on the gravel of the rooftop silently. He shook himself, startled when he realized he'd actually almost gone after the gang leader.

"Over here." His voice was rough, and he cleared his throat, rubbed a hand over his face and turned to meet his friends.

Sam and Tucker paused by the door to the rooftop, hesitant.

Danny smiled, forced any residual feelings aside and walked to meet them, changing back into his jeans and t-shirt as he did.

"We all clear?"

"Yeah." Tucker seemed to get over his hesitance first and for that Danny was grateful. Tucker always had his back.

"Cleared out the special effects equipment as the cops pulled up," Tucker grinned and hefted his backpack higher up on his shoulder. "They'll never know we were here."

"And I can get this all back to my aunt before anyone notices it missing." Sam added in, apparently content with whatever she saw on Danny's face for the moment.

"Great." He cast one last glance at the steadily lightening horizon and ruthlessly pushed away the urges hovering at the edge of his mind. "Let's get out of here."

::

"I don't understand," Jazz rested her elbows on the table top, propping her head up as she studied the three teenagers before her. "How did you manage to pull it off?"

It probably shouldn't have come as a surprise that Jazz had been up and waiting for them when they had finally managed to drag themselves to Danny's house, exhausted but successful nearly an hour later. With his parents sleeping soundly upstairs, probably for another good long while, she had taken one look at them and ushered them into the kitchen, forcing them to sit. Under her knowing look it hadn't taken them long to spill the story. It could have been exhaustion, or Jazz's own version of super powers that had made the truth tumble from their lips but Danny privately believed that they had just wanted badly to share their success with someone else, someone who could look at them and tell them they had done some good.

"Scare tactics." Sam replied with a grin.

"They claimed they weren't afraid of Danny Phantom," Tucker supplied. "But they never went after him directly. They targeted the people around him."

"So we put the fear of Phantom in them." Danny grinned sharp and dangerous.

"But you didn't actually hurt them?"

"No."

But how he had wanted to. Part of him, dark and buried deep down, still did- even with the gang members locked up, some for good- sometimes it still didn't feel like enough.

"We kept them off balance until the cops could get there and then left the rest up to the authorities." Sam explained. The way she laid it out sounded so simple, like they hadn't been taking so many chances and to her perhaps it was. If there was one thing he was certain of, he never wanted Sam as an enemy. He'd never stand a chance, ghost powers or not.

"The gangs own arrogance did all the hard work for us. They had crates of guns and some drugs lying around, not to mention that some of them had outstanding warrants for their arrests."

"My parents are friends with some influential people." Sam glanced at Danny and he grinned, feeling strangely weightless in the light of all that had happened. "It was pretty easy to tip off the right people."

"And you guys thought it up all on your own." Jazz mused and Danny could have sworn she looked proud.

"Team effort." He nodded, slinging his arms over his friend's shoulders and pulling them close.

::

Danny startled as a newspaper landed on the table before him. The days date and headline stared up at him reporting a huge bust made over the weekend by police, an impressive achievement for the city and their fight against drugs.

He glanced up to find Dash standing next to the table, steady gaze watching him. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to react. The library was empty save for the librarian at the front desk eyeing them, and two students clustered around one of the computers in the far corner. He'd known Dash was going to find out, had planned on telling him, himself- once he'd gathered up the nerve.

"So," Dash drummed his fingers on the table. "Know anything about this?"

"Weren't these the guys that vandalized the school awhile back?" He asked innocently.

Dash rolled his eyes and dropped into the seat next to him, sliding closer and throwing an arm over the back of Danny's chair.

This close he could feel the heat coming off the other teenager, could feel where the sleeve of his jacket brushed the nape of Danny's neck, his breath against his cheek. He leaned into the solid presence.

"I want details." Dash told him, voice quiet and intimate. "Please tell me this wasn't for me."

Danny hesitated.

Dash narrowed his gaze.

"Truthfully?" He asked and Dash nodded.

"It was for you," Dash opened his mouth to protest but Danny ignored him, continuing. "Because they hurt you and I couldn't stop them and they needed to _pay_." Dash's eyes darkened and it wasn't from anger. "But it was also because they weren't going to stop, they were going to take this town apart and claim it as their own and I was the only one that could actually stop them."

"It says here the cops stopped them." Dash pointed out dryly, but his other hand had gravitated from the table to rest heavy and warm on Danny's thigh.

"They were bullies." Danny shrugged, careful not to dislodge Dash's arm. "And we all know how well I do with _those_."

"My _hero_." Dash teased lightly. Danny ducked his head, smile pleased and decided he liked the sound of that.

::

The lunch bell rang; startling Danny out of the half daze he'd managed to fall into. In the seat next to him Tucker rolled his eyes, books already packed up and bag slung over his shoulder.

"Day dreaming about Dash?" He quirked an eyebrow at him, but amusement laced his words.

"Uh, yeah." Danny pushed himself to his feet, rubbing the grit from his eyes. He'd had another restless night, dreams of Moe, of the gang and what would have happened if he hadn't stopped them, dreams of Moe getting out on bail and coming after Dash. More frequently his dreams had been about his fist in Moe's chest, grasping his heart in his hand, squeezing, squeezing until…

It was not necessarily the graphics that had been waking him in a cold sweat; it was the sick, pleased, _hungry_ feeling he got from them.

"Earth to Fenton."

He blinked. Tucker was waiting somewhat patiently at the door for him; the rest of the class had already filed out. The problem was, was that he hadn't told Sam and Tucker _exactly_ what had happened in the warehouse that night. They had helped, had been close by but hadn't been witness to the actual proceedings. He'd made sure before hand that there hadn't been any chance of them getting hurt. Now though, they didn't know what he had done, what he was _capable _of and he didn't think he had it in him to tell them.

Tucker was starting to look concerned so Danny hurried to join his friend.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Danny took control of the conversation before Tucker could question him about his spacing. "Have you asked Paulina to prom yet?"

Tucker spluttered next to him, face darkening and mouth hanging open in a comical expression. Danny couldn't help it- he grinned, a laugh escaping him at his friends' antics.

"You should probably ask her sooner rather than later, since it's around the corner." He continued.

"Even if I could ask her," Tucker recovered enough to reply, but his face remained a darker shade. "I'd just get shot down."

Danny seriously disagreed with that, he was fairly certain that Paulina not only wouldn't laugh in Tucker's face, but also had been waiting for him to ask her for a while. Considering she was the most popular girl (and person at this point if he was being honest) in their school and she still didn't have a date, she had to be waiting for someone. He had a feeling Tucker was that person.

"Besides, I'm not going to prom."

Danny nearly knocked into a girl coming out of her classroom. She glared at him even as he hastily apologized, huffing off after her friends. Danny ignored them, staring at Tucker.

"What did you say?" He demanded.

"Dash isn't going to prom, which means you won't be going to prom," Danny opened his mouth to protest but Tucker just rolled his eyes. "And if my best friend won't be there, I know I won't have any fun. Who would I make fun of all the over dressed graduates with? Well, aside from Sam I mean." He amended.

"But it's _prom_." Danny protested, stopping at the doors to the cafeteria, blocking Tucker from going any further. "We've been talking about it for _years_."

"It's just a dance Danny. And I know Sam isn't going either." Tucker clapped him on the shoulder and then used the momentum to push him out of the way, leading the way into the cafeteria.

Sam wasn't going? Well, Kwan was going to be heartbroken…nothing could really take away from the fact that he had the best friends _ever_ though.

The cafeteria was a buzz with activity. Danny spotted Sam and Kwan seated across the large room, trays in front of them, heads bent together as they fought to hear each other over the noise of two hundred teenagers on lunch. Nearby Victor was holding court at three tables pushes together. He was seated on the table, smug look on his face as he waved around a phone, holding it close enough for everyone to see but not touch. Paulina was seated on the bench next to him, and, from the way it looked, doing a close inspection of her nails. She looked bored and Danny couldn't help but wonder why she was over there when she had made it fairly clear that she _didn't_ like Victor.

"Maybe they'll go to prom together." Tucker muttered lowly.

Danny, feeling brave, waved and called across the room.

"Paulina!"

She spotted them through the crowd, a sweet smile spreading across her face and without a word to the people around her, stood and came to join them. The crowd actually parted for her, heads turning to watch her and for a moment Danny remembered being one of those kids, love sick with someone they could never have. It was strange, he could remember the feelings he associated with her, but they weren't there any longer. He was actually kind of proud of himself for it.

"Danny, Tucker." Her smile was mostly directed at his friend; Danny glanced between her and Tucker's love sick smile and rolled his eyes.

"Do you want to sit with us?" He offered when it became clear that Tucker wasn't about to.

"Anything to get away from Victor." She linked arms with Tucker and led the way towards where Sam and Kwan were seated.

"You looked kind of bored." Tucker had apparently found his voice again as he hastened to add, "Not that you didn't look gorgeous as well. I mean. While you looked bored."

"Thank you." She winked at him and Tucker nearly stumbled over his own feet.

"What's Victor going on about now?"

"He has a new phone." She waved a dismissive hand. "And a new watch, and last week it was a television."

Her tone of voice was enough to show what she thought of that so Danny chose to drop the subject for the moment.

"Paulina!"

Danny glanced over as Victor separated from his group, as though just noticing her disappearance. His expression darkened as he spotted her with them and Danny tensed.

"Ignore him." Paulina didn't glance back.

Sam rose as they approached, surprise shooting across her face. Danny arched an eyebrow about to ask a question, what he wasn't certain, when he was whirled around. Tucker let out a surprised yelp and then the plate hit him in the face.

He choked, startled and jerked back, wiping uselessly at his face as whatever mystery meat and gravy that had been served for lunch dripped down his face and into his nose, his eyes, his mouth. His nose stung and he coughed, spitting the slop that slipped into his mouth on the floor. Next to him he could hear Tucker coughing and gagging as well and with it loud laughter. It started with Victor and carried until the entire room was hooting and hollering. Frustrated Danny wiped the best of it off with the edge of his shirt as he could.

Victors grin was darkly entertained and smug, arms crossed and soaking up the laughter like it was praise.

"What the hell is your problem?" Sam demanded, voice rising above the dim. She came around the table, Kwan at her heels. Paulina had taken a startled step back, but the shock was slowly giving way to anger. Somehow none of the mystery meat had managed to hit her but both he and Tucker were covered.

"That wasn't cool." Kwan took a step forwards, but it was Tucker that swung first. He had scooped up a handful of the meet from his shirt and swung with all his might, hitting Victor square in his smug face.

For a second no one moved.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

All hell broke loose around them. Paulina shrieked and ducked for cover, while Sam armed with her and Kwan's lunches launched herself onto one of the tables aiming for anyone even remotely associated with Victor. Danny managed to grab onto Tucker and drag him out of reach as Victor swung at him, this time with his fist. The cafeteria was complete anarchy, food flying and screams littering the air. Danny had a firm grip on Tucker's wrist and was attempting to pull him through the masses even as Victor chased after them, the two hurling insults at one another. He was on board with Tucker standing up for himself but he wasn't that impressed with the timing.

Just as they made it to the doors to the cafeteria a heavy hand clamped down on his shoulder and he came to a stumbling halt.

"Fenton." Lancer glared down at him. "Why am I not surprised?"

He glanced over at Tucker and Victor and then at the room. Several of the students seemed to have noticed the teacher presence and were wisely making their way towards the nearest exit. Most, however had not noticed and a ball of potato nearly hit the teacher.

"You three," he jerked Danny through the doors, who trailed a helpless Tucker behind him. "Are coming with me."

::

Lancer left Danny and Tucker outside his office, dragging Victor inside for five minutes before letting him go again. Then Danny and Tucker were seated in his office.

Lunch had long since ended by the time they made it out again, frustrated but thankfully not expelled for a food fight they hadn't started.

Dash was slouched against the far wall waiting for them. He looked Danny up and down, taking in the grease and food stained clothes and the frustration pouring off of them.

"Come on," Dash pushed off the wall and held out his gym bag. "I grabbed you some gym clothes."

He had the best boy friend in the world.

"No thanks," Tucker shook his head. "I'm grabbing my books and headed home. My mom is on her way to pick me up." He grimaced.

"Are you sure?"

Tucker nodded looking suddenly tired.

"Yeah, I have to explain to her how I suddenly have detention for a week."

Dash looked outraged on their behalf but didn't say anything until Tucker had disappeared, headed towards the front of the school and then silently led Danny through the halls towards the locker room.

The locker room was empty once they arrived, no gym classes for the afternoon or after school sports scheduled for the rest of the day. With half the fluorescent lights out with blown bulbs and a few others threatening to go out it gave the room an eerie air to it.

Dash seated him on one of the metal benches with a soft push, set his gym bag down and then crouched in front of him, attacking the tangle of laces Danny's shoes had become.

"So," Dash asked his feet. "Kwan says that Victor went after you guys again."

Danny swallowed, torn between frustration towards Victor and arousal at the sight of Dash on his knees before him.

"He successfully proved that he's secretly four if that's what you mean."

Dash shot him a look from under his lashes like he knew exactly what Danny wasn't saying. He managed to remove the first shoe, tugging his sock off, and started in on the second.

"I should deal with him." Dash muttered, expression darkening and Danny had to reach out, run his hands through the thick blond hair and tugging to get him to look up.

"That's the old Dash Baxter talking," he pointed out, hands sliding down to cup his cheeks, feel strong cheekbones and hints of stubble.

Dash stared at him for a moment, long enough to make him want to fidget under the gaze, and then ducked up, pressing in for a (too) brief kiss. Danny was still trying to chase the kiss as Dash gave up on the laces and just tugged his second shoe and sock off and then pull him to his feet.

"Are you going to tell me what you're up to?" Danny asked, bemused as Dash quickly toed off his own shoes.

"I know for a fact that no one is going to come in here for the next hour at _least_." Dash stripped off his t-shirt and Danny openly stared at the muscles rippling under smooth skin.

"Really."

"Really." Dash gave him a wicked smirk and then slid his jeans off leaving him in only his boxers. Danny suddenly felt over dressed.

"So," Dash stepped closer, thumbs hooking into the elastic of his blue boxer briefs. "You're greasy, you need a shower and I figured I could scrub those hard to reach places for you."

"Do those lines ever work on anyone?" His chest was tight, heat pooling in his stomach.

"Dunno." Dash grinned, stepping back and sliding his boxers down and off in a move that shouldn't have been so smooth.

"Guess we'll have to find out." He called over his shoulder as he disappeared around the wall into the showers.

Danny didn't waste a moment, stumbling in his haste to get his probably ruined shirt and jeans off, then his star wars boxers and then hurrying after his boy friend. He heard the water start up in one of the far stalls and padded down the tiled room towards the sound.

Dash stood in the last stall head tilted forwards and water pouring over his back, down strong, corded muscles and miles of tanned skin. Danny took a shaky step forwards, nearly slipped on the wet tiles and was caught by strong arms. Dash let out a soft laugh and pulled him closer, kissing him wet and dirty, with teeth and tongues and Danny had to grab and hold on, desperately as he was swept up in it all.

They'd made out before, done the whole groping thing but he'd never actually been _naked_ with Dash before. There had always been clothes involved in some way. Now he was naked and felt exposed in more ways than he could count but he could feel Dash's heart where they were pressed together beating wildly against his chest, as fast as Danny's.

Dash was hard pressed against his hip. He shifted, pushing Danny further back until he jumped, back pressed against the cool wall and accidentally broke the kiss. He was heaving, not enough air, too hot. Dash's lips were dark and swollen and he stared down at Danny with a look he couldn't recognize. Danny reached out, uncertain, but Dash shook his head with a nervous smile and slid to his knees. Danny's breathing was unnaturally loud in the small space.

Dash slid his hands up Danny's thighs and he jerked at the sensation, at the heat that coiled tighter in his stomach.

"You don't have to." He started to say but one of Dash's hands came up and wrapped around his cock, grip a shade too tight and pumped. His breath caught in his throat, eyes rolled back and he had to fight to keep his balance.

"Let me." Dash's voice was husky and Danny stared, taking in the sight of Dash Baxter _asking to give him a blowjob._ He couldn't find the words to agree, somehow nodded and Dash didn't wait for him to change his mind (how could he ever change his mind?), ducking his head. The first cautious lick had him letting out a strangled noise he'd be embarrassed about at any other time. Dash's lips closed around the head of his cock and he nearly lost it, hands flying up to grip the blond hair. His hips jerked again and Dash pinned him to the wall, mouth moving, sucking, licking and hand moving. It was uncoordinated and messy, spit slid down Dash's chin, Danny managed to unclench one of his hands long enough to slide down, feel his hollowed cheek and swollen lips, touch where his cock was stretching Dash's mouth.

He moaned, tried to silence it, conscious that they were _at school_ and regardless of what Dash said, someone could come in.

It didn't matter though, couldn't matter, because a moment later he was coming, surprised and without warning. He curled in on himself; hips jerking, eyes clenched shut, muscles clenching and gasping as he came down from the intense high.

Dash pulled back, coughing, eyes watering and Danny slid down the wall feeling boneless and amazing and a little guilty for not warning Dash.

"Sorry." He rasped when he could breathe again and Dash had stopped coughing but the quarterback just grinned and crawled forwards, into his lap and kissed him. Danny decided not to think about where his mouth had just been and kissed him back, uncoordinated as he tried to regain control of his body again.

Dash started a slow grind against his stomach, straddling his legs, cock rubbing on the slick skin of Danny's stomach and Danny broke the kiss to watch. Dash made a small sound and buried his face in the crook of Danny's neck and went to work sucking a hickey into the skin there.

"Yeah," he found himself saying. He rested his hands on Dash's hips, pulled him closer. "Yeah." He said again. Danny gripped the hard cock, feeling Dash shudder with the touch. He stroked, tried slow at first, then faster when Dash let out a helpless sound, hands coming up to grip Danny's shoulders tight. The blond leaned back, far enough to watch Danny's long, slender fingers wrap around him. He was leaking at the tip, turned on to the point of where it wouldn't take much more to make him fall apart.

And it didn't take more than a handful of strokes before Dash was coming over his hand, spilling in hot, stringy ropes. He shuddered and gasped, twin points of blush bright on his cheeks and a dazed look spreading across his face.

Dash slumped against him, apparently settling in for the long run with a pleased huff. Danny figured he could freak out a bit; they were still at _school_- if his parents ever found out he'd probably die of embarrassment before they could kill him. But Dash was a furnace against his front and the water hadn't turned cold yet, even if the tiles were chilly and it wasn't like they had any where to be- he'd long since given up on going to class.

So he shifted a bit, careful not to dislodge the blonde and settled in.

::

Danny and Tucker were the only ones in detention the next day after school. They'd been put in the cafeteria with strict instructions to have it spotless in the next three hours. At first it had been under the careful observation of the physics teacher, Mrs. Lane, but half an hour in she'd apparently gotten bored, told them to keep working and had left them. Twenty minutes later and she still hadn't returned so Danny had taken matters into his own hands and decided to see how well ghost powers could be applied to cleaning.

The cafeteria had been spotless when they'd finished at quarter to five and he'd stood back, taking it all in and feeling rather smug.

"Score another one for Phantom." Tucker clapped him on his shoulder and he'd tensed ghosting and slipping out of the hold before he could help himself.

"Woah!" Tucker held up his hands in surrender, eyes wide. "What the hell man? I'm not the enemy."

Danny shook himself, his head was suddenly pounding, a sharp pain radiating behind his eyes. He eHe realized his hands were raised, clenched into fists that were glowing a little too much to be safe. He blinked and quickly shoved aside the panic and jerked his hands down to his sides, stuffing them into his jeans like that would hide everything. Tucker watched him with open curiosity as he fumbled for an explanation.

"Sorry- I just," he paused, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. "I've been stressed and you startled me."

"I startled you." Tucker repeated, hands lowered now and expression quickly becoming sceptical.

"Yeah, my bad man." He grinned, wide and contrite and false, heart pounding in his chest. Judging by the look on Tucker's face he didn't believe him, not entirely, but Danny was saved from having to explain further by the ringing of his phone.

Tucker gave him a look, clearly stating that their conversation _was not over_ and dug into his bag for his phone before it could go to voice mail. He led the way from the cafeteria, half listening as Tucker told his mother that yes he was just leaving detention, and that _yes_ he'd be home for dinner. This late in the evening even most of the teachers had left for the day. They passed a janitor on their way out who gave them a dirty look like they hadn't just cleaned the cafeteria for him. Throughout it all though Danny couldn't quite get past the idea that he'd nearly attacked his _best friend_. He hadn't, had he? He'd just been startled. That had to be it.

"You do look tired." Tucker noted, tucking his phone away again. Danny shrugged, pushing through the front doors. This late in the school year it was still bright outside and would be for hours to come. He squinted, momentarily blinded by the light and missed the fist headed for him as a result.

His first clue was Tucker's shout of surprise, followed by the blinding pain that bloomed across his cheekbone. He stumbled, lost his balance and fell. Concrete bit into his palms as he braced himself.

Tucker shouted again, somewhere nearby, this time in pain and something in Danny snapped. He'd lost his backpack in the fall but it gave him more freedom to move and he did so, missing the kick aimed at him by seconds. He scrambled to his feet, so much _rage_ flowing through him that he didn't think he could control it. Distantly he knew his eyes were glowing but all he could focus on was the laughter he could hear from Victor and the sounds of pain he could hear coming from Tucker.

"Hey! Get the fuck out of here!" He recognized Dash's voice.

"I'm calling the police!" He couldn't place the second voice but it didn't matter a moment later when warm hands were on his face, blue eyes breaking through the fog of rage that had blinded him before.

"Shit," Dash hissed. "Danny, take a breath. Your _eyes._"

"Tucker," He protested.

"He's fine. Close your eyes and breathe."

Danny did as instructed, closed his eyes and breathed in and out, tried to focus on anything other than the anger he'd felt coursing through him, anything other than that rush of power and the knowledge that he could have made Victor _pay._

"Come on Fenton," Dash murmured, thumbs stroking under where there must have been a pretty spectacular bruise forming. "Just breathe."

He finally managed to breathe properly, only just realizing how tight his chest had been. He dragged the air in, greedy for it and opened his eyes slowly, wary of what colour they were.

"You're good." The blonde told him quietly and then leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. "Perfect."

Danny flushed but pushed it aside, intent on his friend. He found Tucker seated on the front steps as Paulina fussed over him and Valerie stood nearby on her phone- whether to the police or not Danny wasn't sure. It looked more like she was gossiping with whoever was on the other end, rather than holding a serious conversation with the local police.

"Tucker!" He hurried to his friend's side, conscious of Dash staying close by. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He dropped his head in his hands but from what Danny could see, he had a split lip. "Just my pride."

Paulina reached out and resettled his hat that had been knocked off in the scuffle, and Tucker watched her in surprise. She gave it a final pat and then pulled her hand back, expression concerned.

"The school nurse may still be here, Valerie could go find her."

Behind her Valerie glared at them, clearly not on board with the plan but unwilling to say anything.

"We're fine." Tucker hastened to reassure her. "Thanks to you."

"Yeah," Danny glanced at Dash hovering at his shoulder whose expression was slowly slipping towards murderous. He looked like he wanted to go track Victor down. "What are you guys still doing here anyways?"

"We're on the prom committee." Paulina gestured at the girl now clearly ignoring them in favour of her phone. "And Dash offered to give us a ride."

"It gave me an excuse to hang around until you were done." Dash bumped his shoulder lightly with Danny's, most of the murderous expression gone but he still looked concerned.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I just don't get why he keeps targeting _us_." Tucker exploded suddenly, hands clenched in his pant legs and a look that Danny didn't like spreading across his face. Paulina appeared startled by the outburst, Valerie out right staring. He felt Dash tense next to him.

Tucker cleared his throat, sheepish once again as it sunk in that everyone was now watching him warily. He scrubbed his hands over his face, wincing as he forgot about his swollen, split lip.

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault." He wasn't sure who looked more surprised that it was Dash speaking up- Tucker or Dash himself. "It's _not_."

Tucker just shrugged. An awkward silence fell over them, no one quite sure how to break it, even Valeria had given up on her phone for the moment, watching them all with a troubled look on her face.

It was Dash that broke the silence, slipping his hand into Danny's and tugging lightly to get him moving again.

"Come on, I'll drive everyone home."

Tucker didn't protest as Paulina led him to the parking lot but Danny couldn't help but notice that he wasn't nearly as awestruck as he normally would have been to have her lead him around by the hand.

::

"So here's the plan."

Sam met him at one of the secondary entrances to the school, pausing as she took in the dark bruise forming on his cheekbone and redirected her focus.

"What happened to you?" She grabbed his chin, tilting his face to get a better look at the bruise and he pulled back, the bad mood he'd woken up with that morning, worsening.

"We got jumped after detention yesterday."

"Seriously?" No one could do righteous fury quite like Sam. "Was it Victor?"

He didn't say anything, but then again, he never needed to with her.

"That son of a bitch." She cursed, gaining a few wary looks from the people around them. Danny prodded her to get them moving again and together they climbed the steps. He was tired; he hadn't slept well the night before. Every time he'd closed his eyes he'd been back in the warehouse, fist in Moe's chest, only Moe would become Victor and the satisfaction he'd woken up with, watching Victor gasp and crumble and lay still on the cement floor, had been sour in his mouth.

"You were saying something about a plan?"

"Yeah, although now I'm thinking I need to come up with a plan to deal with that ass hole."

"Sam," he protested.

"Danny." She parroted back.

"Schools almost out and then we won't have to deal with him anymore."

She waved a dismissive hand at that, pausing in front of her locker and fiddling with the lock. The hall was surprisingly empty so he just reached inside and grabbed the text he knew she had for first period, handing it to her.

"Thanks. Anyways, the plan, prom night we're going to get dressed up in our ridiculous prom clothes and watch horror films about people getting murdered at prom and we're going to _laugh_." She bumped their shoulders together, grin a little manic. "It'll be awesome."

"You're not missing out on prom for me."

"Please," Sam rolled her eyes and steered them down the hallway towards their morning class. "You think I actually care about that? The only reason I ever agreed to go is because you and Tucker spent _years_ going on about it. Not only do I not have to parade around in a room full of people pretending to like me, but not going has the added bonus of frustrating my parents."

Her grin was full of mischief.

"So it'll be the three of us?"

"And Dash, and Kwan." Sam added, carefully not meeting his gaze. Danny paused and studied his friend, surprised to see pink crawling up her neck.

"Kwan's coming?" A grin crept across his face. Sam glared at him, the pink darkening.

"We are not talking about that." She stated and Danny laughed, he couldn't help it. He bumped their shoulders together to show he didn't really mean it.

"Whatever Fenton, be at my house, in full tux or I'm making you wear one of my fathers from the _eighties_."

He shuddered at the thought.

There was a commotion coming from the main entrance way, the noise growing louder as they approached. It looked like half the school was gathered around the entrance to the principal's office, everyone talking at once.

"What's going on?" Sam went up on tip toes trying to see above the crowd.

Danny shrugged, unable to see much. He spotted a familiar blonde head towards the center of it all, towering above a gaggle of freshmen. Danny latched onto Sam's wrist and led the way through the crowd, it was slow going, slipping through spaces as they opened up but they eventually made it to Dash's side.

"Hey," Dash looked surprised by their appearance but pulled Danny against his side, arm draped over his shoulders.

"What's going on?"

"Dunno," Dash shrugged, careful not to jostle Danny. "A cop went in there about five minutes ago but there was already a crowd gathered before that. I think there's a student in there."

Danny felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Has anyone seen Tucker?" He asked quietly and Sam shook her head. It wasn't often that Tucker arrived after either of them and right now he didn't trust their luck.

The doors to the principal's office opened suddenly and the cop lead the way out followed closely by their principal, Lancer, and _Victor_.

"What the hell?" Sam asked as the four made their way by them for the front doors. Lancer was beet red. Victor however looked faintly green.

The crowd went silent as they walked by, and actually moved to follow as the four disappeared out the front doors. Outside, though Danny made no move to follow, he could see a news crew set up, camera rolling and reporter hovering by the front steps.

They watched it all in surprised silence, as the front hall quickly emptied after that leaving only the three of them, a few stragglers and a fast approaching Tucker.

"Did you see that?" He demanded once he was close enough. There was manic glee spreading across his face. "Victor was just _arrested_."

"He's a minor." Sam pointed out, but she sounded slightly in awe of what had just happened.

What had just happened?

"What are they charging him with? Aside from being a jackass and terrorizing the school." Dash wondered aloud.

"Apparently the police found out about Victors little side project." Paulina appeared next to them with an air of having always been there. She flipped her long hair over her shoulder.

"His what?"

"Victor has been five finger shopping with a few friends of his," She wiggled her fingers at them. "Which is where his new watch and cellphone and television all came from. Apparently a _concerned citizen_ gave the police and local news channel an anonymous tip early this morning."

"And," she continued checking her phone. "It looks like the youtube video of Victor being dragged into the principal's office by his ear is going viral already. It's amazing what technology can do." Paulina smiled, sweet and entirely too innocent and Danny knew he never _ever_ wanted to make her mad.

"_You got Victor arrested?_" Tucker's voice was high pitched and the look on his face was a mixture of incredulity and love.

"A concerned citizen got him arrested." She corrected. "Or at least grounded for a while. I heard that his parents got the same phone call the police did and are cutting their trip to Toronto short. It will be nice not having one more mindless boy wandering the hallways though."

"And you just did this out of the goodness of your heart?" Sam questioned, openly suspicious. Paulina just smiled, sweet and perfect and linked arms with Tucker with a wink. Sam looked like she couldn't decide between impressed and slightly sickened, although he had a feeling that she was coming around.

"Why would I ever get Victor into trouble?" Paulina batted her eyes at them. "He never bothered _me_."

The possessive way she held onto Tucker said otherwise, however.

::

The rest of the week was surprisingly quiet. So much so that Danny just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. The gang in jail (and unlikely to get out on bail if the news reports were to be trusted) and Victor, while not joining them as he was still a minor, was, according to Paulina, grounded for the next year and being transferred to a military school. Apparently various videos of Victor abusing the other students at the school had surfaced. Whoever it was had a talent for technology and had blurred out the other student's faces while Victor's remained, and for that Danny was grateful. He had no doubt that at least one of those videos would hold either his or Tucker's faces and that was just one more thing he didn't want to deal with. It was over.

"That's it?" He asked aloud, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Sam glanced up from her text book she was going over before their next exam and frowned.

"Going to need you to be more specific; do you mean homework wise, school wise, in terms of our purposes here on earth…?" She trailed off, the frown sliding into a cheeky grin. "Last time I had that talk with my parents they ended up bribing me to never bring it up again, so."

"Not what I meant," he rolled his eyes and flipped his own text book closed. There was no way he would be able to focus on it now. "I meant with Victor."

Sam's face lit up at the mention of the jock, something he wasn't quite used to, though she seemed to take great joy in the public humiliation the town appeared to be putting him through.

"Have you been on the school website yet? Someone put the video of him being put in the cruiser up on repeat and I don't think anyone knows how to get it off."

He'd have to look it up later.

"It just feels too easy." He admitted.

"Why, because you weren't the one to take down the bad guy this time?" She asked, somehow getting right to the truth of it. "You aren't always going to be the knight in shining armor. Most of the time you probably will be, but you have to remember that there's actually quite a few of us who have your back."

Sam gestured across the room to where Tucker and Paulina had their heads bent together. Tucker was pointing something out in the notes spread out before them, Paulina listening intently with a soft smile on her face. Danny was almost certain they were holding hands under the table. It looked like a great weight had been lifted off his friend's shoulders; one he hadn't even really noticed was there.

"Moe is in jail because of you," she continued, flipping the page of her book, clearly ready to get back to jamming for the test. "Dash is safe, Victor is gone and it looks like Tucker is pretty happy. I'd call that a win."

He had to agree with her.

::

"So this thing at Sam's," Dash asked quietly as they waited for the movie to start. It was still endlessly circling the same old commercials to the extent where he could probably quote them from memory. Danny shifted, felt the warm weight of Dash's arm over his shoulder. His own hand rest on Dash's denim covered thigh, kneading restlessly.

"Listen, I know it might not be your thing," he blurted out, quickly to give Dash an out if he wanted one. The blonde arched an eyebrow at him and rolled his eyes.

"A night in Sam's giant movie theater with you, my best friend and your friends isn't my thing? Jeeze Fenton, I guess I'd rather stay home and torture puppies or something."

Well, when he put it that way.

"Shut up." He mumbled and slid his hand up suddenly, a quick grope and then back down to its original resting place. Dash made an interesting noise, like a mixture of a hiccup and a gulp, hips shifting and glared at him. Danny grinned cheekily back.

"There are way too many people in here to start something you can't finish." Dash whispered, head ducked and mouth brushing Danny's ear. He flushed, breath hitching and though he wanted to, wanted to crawl into Dash's lap and go from there, there were at least twenty other people in the theatre with them. He didn't really want to get arrested for public indecency.

"Anyways," Dash pulled back a little, clearing his throat. "I was just going to say if you're _sure_ you don't want to go to prom,"

"I'm _sure_." And if people didn't stop asking him he'd probably lose it.

"Then I was going to ask if you were getting dressed up." Dash finished.

"In a tux? Seriously?"

"Yeah in a tux, keep up." Danny elbowed him for the comment but the blonde just laughed. "I was thinking, the others are getting dressed up, Kwan is determined to impress Sam, and I'm pretty sure you'd look _really_ hot in a tux."

"Only pretty sure?" Danny teased voice dry.

"Maybe 90%," Dash shrugged, a smile lurking in the corners of his mouth. "So instead of showing up in jeans, which I know you were thinking of despite any of Sam's threats, how about we go all out. You get dressed up, I get dressed up and then we eat way too much popcorn and laugh at cheesy horror movies?"

"Sam got to you, didn't she?"

"Maybe I just wanted to see you looking like James Bond."

"Nice try." It figured that Sam went through Dash to get him into the tux. He couldn't find it in himself to really care.

"Alright, you've got yourself a deal."

::

Danny kind of hated suits. It wasn't often that he had to put one on and when he did it was usually for a funeral so he could say that the hatred was justified. Of course, he may have just been wearing the wrong kind of suits his entire life.

The one that Sam had forced on him wasn't too long in the arms and didn't smell of moth balls or have any suspicious stains. It wasn't too tight in the pants, he could actually move in it. He'd tried not to think about exactly how much had been spent on it. The number just made him wince.

He'd contemplated trying to tame his hair and then had realized that it was a nearly impossible task and had promptly given up.

But he had a feeling he looked good.

If the look on Dash's face was anything to go on, when he'd met him at the door, then he looked _really good_.

Dash's cheeks were pink and eyes dark, his black tux highlighted his broad shoulders and trim waist and Danny had to forcibly remind himself that his parents were in the room in order to stop himself from jumping his boyfriend.

"Pictures." Maddie had ordered, as Jack held up a camera, eyes suspiciously bright.

"Actually I have something for Danny." Dash produced a green corsage from seemingly nowhere with a wide grin.

"How sweet." Jack all but cooed. He flushed and cleared his throat when all eyes had turned on him in disbelief.

"Hold that thought." Danny ordered, hurrying from the room and back again, returning with another corsage, blue this time.

"Smartass." Dash mumbled as they were directed where to stand for what would soon be the first of millions of photos by his father (who he was starting to suspect was tearing up a little). Danny just grinned completely unabashed.

"Great minds think alike." He murmured as they were finally released from his parents hold. They hugged them both and Danny managed to drag Dash out of the house just as his mother started to give Dash the _talk_.

Dash looked a little shell shocked about the entire thing.

"Where did you park?" He asked, scanning the street for the familiar bright red, eyes coming to rest on,

"A _limo?_"

Dash grinned, recovering from the traumatizing talk quickly and hurried down the front steps, holding out his hand for Danny to take.

"Don't look at me like that, it showed up at my house with Paulina and Tucker inside already." He led Danny over to the vehicle and held the door open for him. "We picked Kwan up on the way over. After you."

Danny crawled inside, taking in the dim interior and the laughter coming from his friends. They were all dressed up, looking amazing- even Tucker had joined in, in a well fitted tux that Sam clearly had had some hand in. Paulina looked stunning next to him, her long hair pulled up and dressed in a royal purple gown; she waved at Danny but her attention was clearly on Tucker and it looked like he wasn't sure what to do with being the center of her focus. It looked like he loved it though.

The drive to Sam's was a quick one, with Danny sliding on the leather seats as they took corners and Kwan taking control of music early on, blasting country for the first few minutes with the sole purpose of annoying Paulina until she threatened to toss him out of the vehicle and he switched to top forty to appease her.

Danny slid sideways into Dash on one particular turn and the blonde reached out, wrapped his arm around his shoulders and held on, a comfortable heat against his side, pinning Danny in place.

He was cheerful and not really missing prom at all when they pulled up in front of Sam's. Confusion quickly took over as they stepped out of the limo to the sound of heavy bass reverberating around them. The driveway was littered with at least twenty different cars, none of which belonged to Sam's parents. Danny stared. Through the large picture windows he could see strobe lights and people dancing and laughing.

He turned an accusing glare on Dash.

"It wasn't me!" The blonde took a step back, hands held up in surrender.

"Yeah, he had nothing to do with it." Kwan gave them a blinding grin and stepped past them to the front door. Sam appeared in her red dress as though she had been just waiting for them to arrive, darting forwards to hug Kwan and then pull her befuddled friends into hugs before they could question what was happening.

"What the hell is going on?" Danny asked as Sam pulled back from the hug.

"Dash couldn't go to the prom," she was grinning but there was a hint of nerves to it. "So we brought the prom to you."

"_You_ planned a _party_?" Paulina asked disbelief and respect warring across her features. That answered whether Paulina had known beforehand. For a moment he'd worried that the entire reason she'd come had been with the promise of a party and not for Tucker.

"We planned a party." Sam corrected, reaching out to take Kwan's hand. They were both flushing red but seemingly pleased nonetheless.

"Most of our graduating class agreed that a party at Sam's sounded better than a chaperoned party in the school gym." Kwan added in. "It wasn't hard to convince them. Especially when they heard that Paulina and Dash were going."

"And I can have them gone in ten minutes if you hate it." Sam said quickly.

"I told you I was fine with watching movies." He pointed out, even if a little part of him had still wanted to go to prom, had wanted something memorable.

"Oh we're still doing that," Sam grinned, the nerves melting from her smile and turned to head into the house. "I just thought we should _live it up_ a little beforehand. Plus, my parents agreed to fund it and disappear for the night. Apparently I'm finally behaving like a normal teenager."

Almost against his will a smile was creeping across his face. Dash tangled their hands together, quirking an eyebrow at him as though to say, _well?_

Tucker and Paulina led the way inside, followed closely by Kwan, and Sam leaned in to whisper, barely heard over the music,

"Does it feel more like a win against Victor now?"

And Danny had to admit, it kind of did.

::

Three in the morning saw the last of the guests out and the six of them collapsed in Sam's movie theatre in various states of undress. Paulina had ditched her heels and pulled her hair down and was reclining against Tucker who was missing his suit jacket. Kwan was fiddling with the popcorn maker in the corner, probably making more than they'd ever be able to eat and Sam was laying out movie upon movie where prom queens were murdered and dances were destroyed.

Danny and Dash had taken over the back row, Dash with his shirt sleeves rolled up and displaying impressive forearms and Danny curled up in his undershirt and Dash's oversized jacket. They were curled together, Danny running his hands through Dash's hair absently and Dash with his head resting in Danny's lap, eyes half lidded and pleased expression on his face.

He looked like he was about five minutes from falling asleep, as did Tucker and Paulina, though the latter looked determined to stay away through the first movie at least.

The silence was more noticeable now that the loud thumping bass was gone, interspersed with the sounds of Dash's soft breathing and the quiet noises from Kwan and Sam.

Danny felt his own eyes begin to slip closed, warm and aching from hours of dancing with all of his friends. Dash let out a happy hum and his eyes slipped the rest of the way shut, his breath evening out in sleep. Danny kept his eyes open enough to take in the sleeping blonde's features, commit them to memory and know that this was his to have.

Tucker murmured quietly to Paulina and she replied though Danny couldn't make out what they were saying. Sam finally set up the movie, volume lowered for now, though he knew Dash would wake up at the first brutal murder and probably stay awake after that. She curled up in the front row with Kwan, a bucket of popcorn to share between then, heads bent close together.

There was a warm, bubbling feeling in his chest; contentment. For once in their lives, staying awake to watch as the prom queen ran from the killer on the big screen was the most pressing event. No more gang, no more Victor. They could relax.

It was a strange feeling after all those months.

But it was one he could get used to.


End file.
